When the NBA first approached L.A. Clippers all-star Blake Griffin about competing in the Sprite All-Star Slam Dunk contest, he jokingly said, "So I can jump over a car?"¹ And when they said yes, there was no way he wasn't going to do just that. So, in February of this year, Griffin leaped over a silver 2012 Kia Optima, and won the Sprite Slam Dunk contest.

The video of Griffin's amazing dunk went viral, prompting Kia to sign Griffin as the global brand spokesperson. In this role, the NBA all-star will make public appearances in the name of product promotions, social media engagements and philanthropic initiatives. Part of his multi-year deal with Kia also includes an agreement to appear in advertising materials on behalf of the brand. One of the first ads is a nearly direct response to Griffin's stunt earlier this year.

The new ad features Griffin wearing inline skates and being towed by a 2012 Optima. The car gets him up to speed enough to skate off a 45-degree ramp, where he soars into the air to catch a cannon-launched basketball and then proceeds to dunk it right into a 45-foot-high hoop. It's a pretty neat commercial, and you can view the whole thing at http://www.youtube.com/Kia.

As for the ongoing partnership, Tim Chaney, Director of Marketing Communications, Kia, says, "We saw an opportunity and had high hopes, but it greatly exceeded our expectations."² And this is just one of many exciting partnerships for the NBA rookie of the year, who is very choosy about the brands he endorses. According to his spokeswoman, "[He] is just really interested in growing with partners that make sense."³

Turner Kia, located at 4201 Chambers Hill Rd Harrisburg, PA 17111 thinks that this is definitely a partnership that makes sense, and we can't wait to see their next stunt. That said, stayed tuned with our blog for the latest on this and other Kia news. In the meantime, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact us via our website at any time, we'll get back to you as soon as possible.

Sources: ¹http://www.aolnews.com/2011/02/20/blake-griffin-jumps-over-a-car-wins-2011-sprite-slam-dunk-conte/
^2,3http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/money_co/2011/06/kia-motors-extends-partnership-with-blake-griffin.html