Kia Motors secures
title sponsorship of X Games Asia
Photos: KIA
Kia Motors announced today at a
signing ceremony in Shanghai that it has secured a three-year
deal to become the title sponsor of the Asian X Games. This
latest in a line of high profile sport sponsorships by the
automaker means that one of the world’s signature action sports
competitions will be officially known and re-branded as the ‘Kia
X Games Asia.’
Kia Motors has been a presenting
sponsor of the competition since 2005 and the association has
been extended and upgraded to further differentiate Kia’s
young-at-heart and adventurous brand image in China and other
Asian markets, and also amongst the emerging generation of new
Kia Motors customers throughout the world.
Yong-Hwan Kim, Senior Executive
Vice President and COO of Kia Motors Corporation, said, “We
wanted to strengthen our association with this exciting event,
which has become recognized in many circles as the Action Sports
Olympics of Asia. Our consumer research shows that successful
products such as the Kia Sportage, Kia Rio and our new
European-made cee’d, for example, resonate loudly with a young,
dynamic and sports-orientated audience.”
.
“The Kia X Games Asia is an ideal
opportunity to continue to build our association with this
community and enhance awareness of our brand values in the
Chinese market and beyond,” he added.
The Kia X Games Asia 2007 will
take place in Shanghai, China from 3rd to 5th of May. The 2007
games will be the ninth competition since 1998 and is promoted
and organized in Asia by ESPN International, with the
cooperation of ESPN STAR Sports. The competition is due to take
place annually in China through 2009.
Harvey Davis, Managing Director of
ESPN STAR Sports, said, “This year, the Kia X Games Asia has all
the elements of being a great success. The support of Kia
Motors, the title sponsor, the Yang Pu District and other
partners is evidence of a commitment to seeing it flourish.”
More than 200 top athletes from America,
Brazil, Japan and other Asia-Pacific countries will compete for over
US$100,000 in prize money, medals and glory in five categories:
Aggressive Inline Skating; Skateboarding; BMX freestyle; Sport Climbing;
and Moto X.
Last year, Kia Motors estimated that
ongoing media exposure from the Asian X Games was worth around US$12
million to the company through the display of the Kia logo on television
broadcasts, TV commercials and press materials. Kia expects to receive
even more public value from the title sponsorship of the event this
year.
