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| Author | Mia Blakeney |
Kia UK continues to demonstrate its love for film with an extended partnership across independent cinemas nationwide for the third consecutive year, strengthening its collaborations with independent cinema specialist Digital Cinema Media and forming a new partnership with Pearl & Dean.
Brokered by Havas Play in spring 2022, the cinema partnership has involved Kia supporting each of DCM’s independent cinemas, which serve a fifth of UK cinemagoers, including Picturehouse, The Light, Reel, Savoy, and over 170 other venues for the past two years. This partnership has now been extended to include Pearl & Dean’s Curzon cinemas. The Curzon cinema estate is known for its landmark locations across the UK, showing an expertly curated cinema programme mirrored by the streaming platform Curzon Home Cinema. The distribution labels Curzon Film and Artificial Eye are home to some of the best independent and award-winning films.
The move to work with Pearl & Dean enhances Kia UK’s support for independent cinema nationwide. Adding the Curzon cinema estate underscores Kia’s commitment to enriching the cinema-going experience and supporting the arts. Kia now supports a total of 242 independent cinemas nationwide.
As the partnership continues into 2024, together with Innocean UK, Kia developed new creative content specifically for cinema. The fully electric seven-seater Kia EV9 and the family-focused Sportage SUV will be featured in prime ad spots ahead of every feature film across DCM’s 60-second ‘Gold Spot’ and Curzon screens, reaching over 12 million people per year. This placement supports Kia’s brand association and enhances its ‘Movement that inspires’ messaging across a premium media platform.
Independent cinema is built upon foundations of creativity, innovation, and inspirational thinking—values that resonate deeply with Kia. This commitment to independent cinema is part of Kia’s innovative approach, taking customers on inspiring journeys, entertaining communities, and supporting local businesses.
Through this expanded partnership, Kia continues to play a vital role in the vibrant world of independent cinema, showcasing its dedication to creativity and community.
Sanka de Silva, Marketing Director at Kia UK Limited, said: “With an array of exciting summer blockbusters due in cinemas soon, we believe this is a fantastic opportunity for Kia to once again take centre stage, support local businesses and entertain communities through independent cinema.
“We believe that movement inspires, and there’s nothing quite like the moving pictures to demonstrate this and showcase our products. We’re excited to show our latest cinematic adverts for the fully electric seven-seater EV9 and Sportage, which really need to be seen on the big screen to be fully appreciated.”
Davina Barker, Sales Director at DCM, said: “We’re extremely proud of this fully immersive, integrated partnership with Kia in the independent cinema space. Year two alone increased brand perception among cinemagoers by 208 per cent and this campaign renewal into a third year truly solidifies Kia’s ownership of independent cinema, creating an unparalleled synergy with film while maximising emotional impact and cut through with an upmarket, discerning audience.”
Ellie Davidson, Executive Director DIVE on behalf of Pearl & Dean, added: “We’re very excited to be working with Kia to authentically connect them with independent cinema in the UK, through an engaged relationship with our iconic partner Curzon. Renowned for its contribution to UK film and cinema, Curzon celebrates its 90th anniversary this year and Kia is marking this important milestone with them, to show its support. We are thrilled to elevate this already established relationship with cinema by offering a truly integrated partnership between Curzon and Kia, including tailored screenings and a unique upcoming special event.”
Laurence Collings, Head of Client Services at Innocean UK added: “We are delighted to build on two successful years of iconic Cinema sponsorship by Kia UK, by extending Kia’s association with independent cinema with Pearl & Dean. We look forward to further developing a narrative between Kia and film lovers, enhancing Kia’s brand and customer experience, while enhancing the independent cinema experience.”
Rob Breese, managing partner at Havas Media UK (part of Havas Media Network), said: “Kia is excited to renew our partnership with independent cinema, underscoring our commitment to innovation and forward-thinking engagement with diverse and dynamic audiences. This collaboration aligns perfectly with Kia’s vision as a modern and progressive brand, bringing our message to new heights and new audiences. Together, we are creating unforgettable experiences, driving our brand’s presence in a unique and impactful way.”