# Fantastical Car Commercials NBA Star Blake Griffin Welcomes Kia Drivers to the Zone in This New Ad By Christopher Magsambol | Published 2015-10-28 | Autos Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kia-drivers References: [adweek](http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/ad-day-blake-griffin-zone-kia-kicks-another-nba-season-167760http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/ad-day-blake-griffin-zone-kia-kicks-another-nba-season-167760) & [youtube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNvhHCpmrT8&feature=youtu.be) Blake Griffin reprises his role as the [NBA's](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/jurassic-park-themed-1) brand ambassador for [Kia](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kia-squares) in a new ad where Kia drivers enter "the zone." The fantastical storyline sees a Kia driver lost in a dreamworld that floats above the clouds. Blake Griffin appears reading a newspaper when the Kia driver asks him where they are. Griffin responds with, "the zone," which further confuses the driver. The ad spot is titled 'Next Level' and its release coincides with the upcoming NBA season. The ad is meant to highlight the next-level performance of the Kia Optima. Griffin is fantastic, as always, and proves he is one of the [best athletes-turned-actors](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/why-do-it-ad) out there. Kia will continue to roll out similar ad spots in the coming days. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 1.2/10 - Popularity: 9% | Activity: 20% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Autos](https://www.trendhunter.com/autos) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Fantastical Commercials:** Incorporating surreal or fantastical elements into advertising campaigns can capture viewers' attention and create a memorable brand image. - **Athlete Brand Ambassadors:** Hiring professional athletes as brand ambassadors can increase brand recognition and loyalty among fans of the athlete. - **Product Performance Ads:** Highlighting a product's performance, such as the Kia Optima's next-level features, can attract customers who prioritize performance in their purchasing decisions. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Advertising:** The advertising industry can incorporate fantastical elements into their campaigns to create unique and memorable brand identities for their clients. - **Sports Marketing:** The sports marketing industry can work with professional athletes to create effective brand ambassador campaigns that resonate with fans. - **Automotive:** The automotive industry can emphasize the performance features of their cars in marketing campaigns to appeal to consumers who prioritize performance in their car-buying decisions. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Influencer-Starring Car Commercials](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/toyota-2.md) - [Second-Screen Vehicle Sweepstakes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kia-squares.md) - [New Year-Focused Car Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/2027-telluride-suv.md) - [All-Star Athlete Seafood Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/red-lobster-gloat.md) - [Humorous Automotive Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/where-have-you-been.md) - [Actor-Backed Electric Automobile Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-rise-of-electric.md) - [Next-Gen Athlete-Starring Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/why-do-it-ad.md) - [Athlete-Starring Film Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/jurassic-park-themed-1.md) - [Empowering Car Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/carmax1.md)