Why is this work relevant for Brand Experience & Activation?

Kia VR Driving Center aimed to offer a unique digital experience which could lead to a lasting relationship between the customers and the brand in the long term. With the utilization of web-GL technology, we produced a high-quality realistic content that showcases our latest EV model in the most effective way. By walking along the carefully designed experience scenario, customers naturally perceive key features of the product without noticing, eventually being seamlessly led to the deeper level of engagement related to sales.

Background

Test drives are time-tested customer experience. But with the pandemic and the world increasingly becoming digital, we wanted to go beyond the traditional experience. We found several pain points along the journey of the offline-based test drive. For one thing, test drives are only available from the actual production period, creating an experience gap between the launch and the sales point. Moreover, the test drive experience itself has multiple shortcomings. To start with, arranging reservations and visiting a showroom is a hassle to many customers. Reservation does not always guarantee the availability of the exact color, trim preference, not to mention the lack of optimized courses for special models like EVs. In line with Kia’s brand renewal and to market the launch of its first EV, we planned to offer a rich digital experience that could fill the experience gap and compensate for the limitations of offline test drive.

Describe the creative idea (20% of vote)

With EV6 being Kia’s first pure electric model, we also aimed to provide a driving experience tailored to EVs. Knowing that personalization leads to deeper engagement, we intended to provide an experience that fits each target’s lifestyle. We thought, what mattered the most was how to display these options in the most creative way, in a way that users would not bounce out. After brainstorming, we came up with the best way to suggest suitable course to each user – a bubble-shaped simple survey. Another challenge we faced was about the possibility of becoming a dull informative content, not so different from any other digital content Kia already had. We worked to prove how fun engagement under strategic planning can lead to an impactful experience with potential for sales conversion. While it was challenging, our team successfully struck a balance between educational and fun-to-play features with creative elements.

Describe the strategy (20% of vote)

Extensive research was conducted to meet our goal of designing an EV-oriented personalized experience, based on the findings, we strategically selected target markets and defined dual persona, which we later applied to the scenario design. Our initial research on the global EV market status indicated that rising demand for EVs is massively led by specific markets centered in northern European countries. Based on the findings, 11 target markets were carefully selected where the VRDC program for Kia’s EV6 would be well accepted and thrive. The pre-affinity survey result showed that males (79%) and the 30s age group (81%) were more likely to express their preference for EV6. Trait-wise, the preference group consisted of ‘technology-friendly’ respondents (86%) and ‘outdoor-preferred’ respondents (77%). Through a firm understanding on our potential audience, we aimed to offer personalized experience via 2-track scenario – Dynamic city racing for GT trim & Family road-trip for GT-Line trim.

Describe the execution (30% of vote)

On March 30, 2021 (9AM CET), Kia VR Driving Center was launched globally along with EV6 world premiere on Kia’s official worldwide website. Access to the content was available from anywhere around the globe, with specific customization made to 11 target countries. Optimization was made for all devices and major browsers, including PC, tablet and mobile. For initial awareness, promotions were made on Kia social channels and the owner-based platform, ‘VIK’ (upside-down visualization of ‘KIA’). Stable operation was supported with 24/7 monitoring. By analyzing the pain points based on the behavior data accumulated and analyzed by Adobe Analytics, we made an update to the UX/UI to improve customer experience 30 days after the launch.

List the results (30% of vote)

VR Driving Center proved its vital role as a marketing funnel in the EV6 launch campaign, creating a seamless journey from pre-reservation to test drive. 363K global visits were recorded in 175 days, spending 4’42” on average – which far exceeded that of Kia official website. Conversion-wise, over 25% of those who completed the pre-reservation were VRDC visitors. Internal evaluation suggests that VR Driving Center enhanced the value of the indirect test drive. The monetary value, calculated based on ROI of Kia’s global offline test drive campaign, amounts to over USD 45.7M, which translates to more than 55 times the total investment in the project. Positive reactions were generated over multiple media. VOC included praise of quality, impressions on the immersive experience and the abundant information on EV6. Overall results show how VRDC successfully complemented customer experience during the launch phase, creating a lasting relationship between customers and the Kia.