Kia has expanded its presence at the Australian Open this year, showcasing the brand’s all-electric vehicle lineup in a range of tech-focused experiential activations – the Kia Powerhouse, Kia Colour Match, Kia Charge Up, and Kia Cool Room.
“Experiential offerings are a key focus for Kia, which we strive to improve with each coming year; our activations allow us an alternative outlet to communicate and convey our brand strategy alongside our award-winning product range,” said Kia Australia’s general manager of marketing, Dean Norbiato.
“Technology is one of Kia’s key brand pillars – we’re thrilled to unveil cutting-edge technology in our activations at the AO, which allows us fresh and new ways of engaging with the no doubt record crowds at the world’s biggest sporting event in January”.
The Kia Powerhouse activation at Grand Slam Oval houses 2 displays showcasing 3 of Kia’s EV models – the flagship EV9, EV5, and EV3, in its Australian debut.
The X-Ray Slider display reveals the inner workings of Kia’s halo vehicle, the EV9, highlighting the energy flow through the Kia EV battery platform.
In an Australian-first, the Hologram Hub utilises a custom mist hologram to immerse fans in a playful, abstract tennis experience which sees Rafael Nadal go head-to-head in a rally against an EV9. Sitting alongside the EV5 and EV3, the display celebrates Kia’s ties to tennis and sport, as well as the illustrious career of Kia brand ambassador Rafael Nadal, who announced his retirement from tennis in late 2024 following 20 grand slam wins.
In a nod to contemporary South Korean fashion and beauty trends, Kia Colour Match at MCA Terrace offers AO fans the chance to discover their personalised colour profile. Developed in partnership with a Seoul-trained personal colour specialist, fans are matched with 1 of 12 seasonal colour palettes – including Bright Spring, Soft Summer, Dark Autumn, True Winter and many more – based on eye colour, skin tone, hair colour, and elements of their personality.
A sneak peek of the updated Kia EV6 is on display at the Kia Charge Up activation, located just beyond the Garden Square North entry to the AO precinct. Harnessing its Vehicle to Load (V2L) functionality, the EV6’s battery powers a collection of phone charging lockers free of use to fans. Conveniently set at one of the AO’s busiest entry and exit points, fans can relax and recharge knowing their device is safely tucked away and being charged up by the new EV6.
Set at Federation Square, the Kia Cool Room extends the Kia footprint beyond AO bounds. Designed to emulate the cooled and heated storage compartment found in the EV5 GT-Line, the activation build is a scaled up model of the drawer built into the vehicle’s rear cabin. The interior of Kia Cool Room is pleasantly cooled to offer fans and passersby reprieve from the sweltering Melbourne summer, as well as the opportunity to see the real-life cooled drawer in action in the display car just outside the activation.
The Kia Pavilion corporate hospitality suite will again be located in prime position along the AO River Terrace, offering a hub for stakeholders, corporate partners, VIPs and other guests to filter in and out of throughout the tournament. Designed by sustainable event agency Frank Wild, Kia Pavilion is a further display of Kia’s commitment to sustainable thinking, combining elements reused from previous years’ hospitality suite builds with other eco-friendly materials.
