Work

Kia Motors America

To support the release of the Niro — Kia’s first-ever hybrid crossover — NPM Creative produced Brand Soundscapes that focused on the craft behind the vehicle by featuring voices from the vehicle’s design and strategy teams.

After placement in just two episodes of NPR’s Hidden Brain podcast, listener surveys revealed more positive perceptions of Kia’s design, versatility and environmental consciousness — all priority brand messages. Most critically, listeners were more likely to consider Kia the next time they were car shopping.

Full Soundscapes

The Driving Dynamics of the Kia Niro

The Design Inspiration of the Kia Niro

The Versatility of the Kia Niro

The Transmission of the Kia Niro

Soundscape Mid-rolls

The Driving Dynamics of the Kia Niro

[NPM Voice Talent] Support for this podcast and the following message is provided by the 2017 Kia Niro. Here’s Kia’s Director of Marketing Communications, Kimberley Gardiner, on the Niro’s driving dynamics. [Kimberley] So many times you have to compromise on something when you look for a car: either design, or price, or size, or you know, the way it drives. ‘I can’t have it all.’ Well with the Niro, I feel like I–when I first drove that vehicle, I thought it’s in a very competitive price range, its big enough for my needs, and its something that I feel like is gonna be really fun on the road. Right off the bat, acceleration was fun, I could feel automatically the vehicle was taking off. I could hear that engine noise, you get that visceral kind of feel, and you can accelerate, you know, on the freeway and off you go. I don’t feel like I have to compromise. [NPM Voice Talent] The Kia Niro, a smarter kind of crossover. All warranties and roadside assistance are limited. See retailer for details or go to Kia dot com slash Niro.

The Design Inspiration of the Kia Niro

[NPM Voice Talent] Support for this podcast and the following message come from the 2017 Kia Niro. Here’s Kia Senior Interior Designer Brian Peterson describing the design inspiration for the Niro. [Brian] I’m really interested in when you get into the car, how does it change the way you feel when you’re in it? Like does this car express who you are or what you believe? So I’d probably ask someone, like, “Hey are you fuel-efficiency conscious and are you stylish? And do you want a car that embodies who you are as a person?” Then the Niro’s for you. You have the nimbleness of a car, but you get the space of an SUV. I think we’ll be able to look back years from now and see a shift. You know, like there was a pivot that happened when we all started to look towards doing things responsibly. So it’s a great time to be a designer. [NPM Voice Talent] The Kia Niro, a smarter kind of crossover. All warranties and roadside assistance are limited. See retailer for details or go to Kia dot com slash Niro. [Automotive details]

The Versatility of the Kia Niro

[NPM Voice Talent] Support for this podcast and the following message come from the 2017 Kia Niro. Here’s Kia Vice President of Product Planning Orth Hedrik on the versatility of the Niro. [Orth] We were really inspired by the move to CUVs – crossover utility vehicles. Way back in the day those were called station wagons. You could put a lot of people of them, they had seats that folded down, well that concept’s still valid. It’s just the form that its presented to you in is something different. If you have hobbies on the weekend, you know, we wanted to provide that space, but at the same time it didn’t need to look clunky like a station wagon would. I think what we were looking for and what we were trying to capture was something that is versatile, practical, progressive, and at the same time, fun. That unique combination all came together with the Niro. [NPM Voice Talent] The Kia Niro, a smarter kind of crossover. All warranties and roadside assistance are limited. See retailer for details or go to Kia dot com slash Niro.

The Visuals

NPR Player: The Design Inspiration of the Kia Niro

NPR Player: The Driving Dynamics of the Kia Niro

NPR Player: The Versatility of the Kia Niro

NPR Player: The Transmission & Driving Experience of the Kia Niro

NPR One: The Design Inspiration of the Kia Niro

NPR One: The Driving Dynamics of the Kia Niro

NPR One: The Versatility of the Kia Niro

NPR One: The Transmission & Driving Experience of the Kia Niro

"Brand Soundscapes are minimally disruptive and highly interesting. NPR was the right environment, it’s a fantastic audience, and I couldn’t have asked for something better in terms of the Soundscapes platform."

Kimberley Gardiner, Director, Marketing Communications, Kia

See more work from NPM Creative

Target

A series of Brand Soundscapes about inclusive beauty, clothes designed for children with special needs, and programs supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs revealed the stories, and people, behind Target’s products.

View the work

Home Instead

NPM Creative partnered with Home Instead to create Brand Soundscapes that profile the company’s mission to enhance the lives of aging adults and their families through human-centered care.

View the work

Capital One

CreditWise® from Capital One® partnered with NPM Creative to produce a series of Brand Soundscapes that educated listeners on the complex topics of fraud, identity theft and the dark web.

View the work