Car manufacturer, Kia, is targeting Australian shoppers with an interactive tennis game in shopping centres.
The national campaign in tandem with Val Morgan Outdoor mimics a Wii-style game of tennis.
Kia’s Game On mobile app coincides with the Australian Open, of which it is a major sponsor.
Shopping centre visitors download the app to their smartphone, which allows them to interact with a giant screen.
Players must then return the ball to Sam Groth: an Australian tennis player that holds the record for the world’s fastest serve.
This means players are virtually served a 263 km/h moving ball.
Those who can successfully return Groth’s serve are given the chance to win a Kia Cerato Koup Turbo.
Sean Richardson, communications strategist at Initiative, which implemented the campaign, says the app is every tennis player’s virtual dream.
“Unless you’re sitting court side, it’s almost impossible to gauge the power and precision with which tennis pros hit the ball,” he says.
“We created [this app] to give tennis fans the chance to actually experience what it’s like to be in the firing line against the world’s fastest server.”
Matt Bushby, director of Val Morgan Outdoor, says the activation is about “really capturing people’s attention”.
“Crowds are gathering to both watch and play the game, which is helping both drive and reinforce awareness [for Kia].
“Not only was the activation a lot of fun in a captive and innovative way, but it also had consumers raving about the Kia brand.”
Kia’s Game On app launched in key shopping centres across NSW, Victoria and Queensland on January 13.
It ends with the Australian Open Men’s Final on January 26.
Kia isn’t the only brand that has been experimenting with tennis fever at Australian shopping centres.
This month, Nike opened a pop up tennis court on the roof of Melbourne Central.
