+750,000
+7,000
The Problem
Kia needed a way to engage fans in their EV energy story at scale at the Australian Open.
Concept Development
Kia needed a way to bring their slogan “Movement that inspires” to life. I designed a game that challenged users to battle against Rafael Nadal in a Tennis reaction time challenge. The energy from the users steps was captured by Pavegen technology and used to help power a Kia EV6.
Early Prototyping
With many moving pieces to consider and little time, It was critical we started prototyping early to de-risk some of the new functionality we would be developing.
Working with Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal, 20-time grand slam champion and a perennial top-ranked tennis player, has been Kia’s global ambassador since 2006. In light of this partnership, I had the opportunity to work with Nadal and his team to create a head to head challenge against the the champion himself.
The Shoot
With just a single chance to capture the footage we needed with Nadal, I meticulously crafted a script outlining every action and word required from him. Enabling our film crew to operate efficiently and make the most of the limited time available.
Post Production
Once, the film crew shared the raw footage, I set up a post production workflow to colour correct and grade and compost the footage so that it could be inserted into the game.
Branding the event
Kia needed a name and logo for the activation so that they could increase awareness. I was responsible for developing the branding that conformed to Kia’s brand guidelines and my team worked to create all of the print ready artwork that was used on the site.
The Game
The game mechanic was inspired by Nadal’s signature warm-up routine. The players score was calculated based on the amount of energy they generated before time ran out. Bonus points were also awarded for faster reaction times.
The Event
The activation was a massive success, engaging thousands across the duration of the tournament. Huge queues formed as fans gathered outside the Kia Arena to take a shot at making the leaderboard.
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© Hugh Johnston Design 2023