Heart vs. Horsepower: How Kia Powered its Way to the Top of People’s Minds

There are few things more Australian than a Ute. Better known internationally as a pick-up truck, the utility vehicle holds a special place in Australian culture — representing the country’s outdoor lifestyle, hardworking attitude, and laid-back spirit.

It’s a cultural insight that Kia has embraced wholeheartedly. So much so, they’ve given their first-ever ute a characteristically Aussie name — the Tasman. And to drive home its local appeal, the launch campaign is brimming with Australiana, aiming to both introduce and instantly entrench the Tasman within the market.

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At its core, the campaign follows many of the themes typical of a classic ute advertisement: rugged landscapes, a hardworking crew of knockabout characters, and even the outdoor adventure that a runaway horse brings. However, it was how Kia brought these ideas together that really set the campaign apart.

Utilizing a distinctive blend of iconically dry Australian humor and a parade of Australia’s most loved sporting heroes, the narrative kept people hooked from the outset, maintaining attention as each new familiar face was comedically introduced into the story.

But grabbing attention is only part of the equation — keeping it is what really matters. Instead of focusing on product features and specifications, Kia instead crafted a story-driven campaign designed with long-term brand impact in mind. The goal? To reinforce Kia’s mental availability so that when Aussies are eventually in the market to buy a ute (or any other type of vehicle) — be it tomorrow or years down the track — Kia is the name that is at the forefront of their minds.

However, while eliciting an intense emotional response is a prerequisite for advertising success, key to building mental availability is delivering an unmistakable brand role and presence within a distinctive and memorable storyline. After all, it’s one thing to remember an ad, and quite another to remember who the ad was for.

To this end, Kia impressively weaved the new and relatively unfamiliar vehicle into the storyline, despite the star-studded cast threatening to steal the spotlight. From the town name of Tasman, subtle newspaper cues, and of course the car itself being the literal driver of the story, Kia was never far from the action.

Ultimately, Kia’s ‘Runaway Horse’ exemplifies Les Binet’s assertion that emotion-based advertising is key to long-term brand growth, as it strengthens memory structures and reinforces mental availability. However, for this strategy to be effective, these emotions must be intrinsically linked to the brand itself. By focusing on storytelling rather than product features, Kia has given itself the best chance of being top of mind when Aussies are next ready to upgrade their vehicle.