Kia Motors recently launched its new signature sound entitled “The Rise of Surprise” which will be featured in numerous customer touch-points with the brand. The elegant and dynamic sound is Kia’s latest sensory branding initiative which aims to emotionally illicit brand recall from customers. The tune is also the first in the automotive industry to be used in integrated marketing communication efforts.
The Rise of Surprise is light and cheery with a feel-good vibe. It aims to express Kia’s core brand identities – Vibrant (a symbol for Kia’s growth), Distinct (showcasing Kia’s unique value) and Reliable (expressing Kia’s dependability).
There will be modified versions of this signature sound all of which have recognizable patterns of a 5-note melody, kick drums, and rushes of air. These versions were created to best cater to customers using different media, from televisions to smartphones; from applications to customer service calls. The tunes will also be incorporated into vehicles for features such as welcome and goodbye sounds and warning indicators. Moreover, these renditions will serve to categorize Kia’s models into different types, namely eco-friendly vehicles, RVs, small/compact vehicles, and mid-to-large-size sedans. The company’s first fully electric car, the Soul EV, and the Carnival multipurpose vehicle are the first ones to feature the dynamic sound.
“At Kia Motors we have been putting a tremendous effort into creating sonic branding with a unified signature sound that delivers Kia’s distinctive brand identity to our customers. Now we are excited to introduce and share ‘The Rise of Surprise’ with our customers at various points of interaction with our company, its products and services, both inside and outside of our vehicles,” commented Ike Kwon, Director of Global Brand Strategy Group, Kia Motors Corporation.
To checkout (hearout?) and download Kia’s Rise of Surprise, you can go to their website here.