When LeBron James started appearing in David&Goliath’s ads for Kia, there were plenty of skeptics who refused to believe the NBA star actually drove one (our own readers included). David&Goliath play off that skepticism in “The Truth,” a new campaign which sees James calling out the doubters.
According to social media analytics firm Networked Insights, 30 percent of the approximately 30,000 tweets over the past year mentioning both James and Kia expressed doubt that the relationship between the two was genuine. So David&Goliath and Kia took a self-aware approach, addressing the issue directly. “We want to show people he actually does drive the car,” Michael Sprague, chief operating officer at Kia Motors America, told The Wall Street Journal.
The spot, entitled “Ten Mil,” opens with James reading an, apparently real, tweet reading, “I’ll bet anyone $10000000 that LeBron doesn’t roll up to games in a Kia.” With a nod to his lawyers, James states, “Since you placed your bet on the Internet, I am pretty sure that is legally binding,” adding that he does indeed drive around in a Kia, occasionally en route to playing some professional basketball. So James heads out in his K900, trailed by an armored car, to collect on the bet. It’s a straightforward yet clever way to address the many doubters, making both LeBron and the brand look more authentic in the process. “Ten Mil,” which made its broadcast debut yesterday is the first of three ads which will feature James addressing real tweets, to be followed by “1,000%” and “Spaceship.”
“LeBron is all about being authentic,” Sprague added. “We are confident we can take the playful approach and prove this is an authentic partnership.”
Credits:
Founder & Chairman: David Angelo
Chief Creative Officer: Colin Jeffery
Creative Director: Chris Hutchinson
Creative Director: Driscoll Reid
Sr. Copywriter: Matt Kappler
Sr. Art Director: Sheldon Melvin
Copywriter: Joe Shaner
Art Director: Shaun Wright
President: Brian Dunbar
Managing Director: Jeffery Moohr
Account Director: Mike O’Malley
Account Supervisor: Jennifer Engelman
Account Executive: Kylie Lemasters
Assistant Account Executive: Lauren Kelley
Account Coordinator: Jaime Gullas
Chief Digital Officer: Mike Geiger
Director of Digital Technology: Robert Boucher
Digital Account Director: Jeanann Grubbs
Digital Account Executive: Sarah Kirsch
Digital Assistant Account Executive: Rebecca Hanson
Chief Strategic Officer: Seema Miller
Director of Strategic Planning: Andrew Lynch
Sr. Strategic Planner: Ed Gibson
Director of Broadcast Production: Paul Albanese
Executive Producer: Curt O’Brien
Director of Art Production: Andrea Mariash
Sr. Art Producer: Elisabeth Fried
Jr. Art Producer: Mia Campbell
Project Managers: Erin Cavin, Genie Lara
Director of Business Affairs: Rodney Pizarro
Associate Business Affairs Manager: Ann Shelton
Product Information Manager: Russ Wortman, Mark McNaul
Production Company: MJZ
Director: Craig Gillespie
President: David Zander
Executive Producer: Emma Wilcockson
Producer: Deb Tietjen
Editorial: Spinach
Managing Director: Adam Bright
Editor (Courtesy of Rock Paper Scissors): Grant Surmi
Asst. Editor: Ben Reesing
Producer: Jonathan Carpio
Visual Effects: Method Studios
Executive Producer: Stephanie Gilgar
Senior Producer: Pip Malone
VFX Supervisor: Ray Giarratana
Agent: Art Department
Content Photographer/Videographer: Jeff Riedel
Music: Squeak E. Clean
Executive Producer: Carol Linda Dunn
Senior Producer: Amy Crilly
Sound Design/Mix: Barking Owl
CD/Partner: Kelly Bayett