Kia hitting the road as sponsor of Vans Warped Tour

(June 13, 2012) IRVINE, Calif. — Kia Motors America is hitting the road as the "Official Vehicle of the 2012 Vans Warped Tour" and for a fifth straight year will entertain concertgoers in nearly 40 U.S. cities with live music performances from today's biggest rock and indie bands and a variety of interactive activities and events at the Kia Soul Lounge. 

New for 2012, Kia will be the official sponsor of the tour's two main stages — the Kia Soul Stage and Kia Rio Stage — with a platform set as part of the rigging between the stages to display the Kia Soul urban passenger vehicle.    

"Since our wildly popular Soul launched in 2009 with a trio of paw-tapping hamsters, music has helped move the Kia brand into the mainstream and raise consumer awareness amongst a younger, previously untapped demographic," said Michael Sprague, vice president, marketing & communications. 

"Fresh off the viral sensation "Share Some Soul" campaign featuring LMFAO's hit single 'Party Rock Anthem,' the poll-topping Optima Limited Super Bowl commercial featuring Motley Crue's 'Kickstart My Heart' and our partnership with music sharing service Spotify, going back out on the road again with the Vans Warped Tour was an obvious fit as a way to maintain our status as a young, current and engaging brand."



In addition to enjoying hours of live music, including exclusive acoustic sets with top tour bands "Taking Back Sunday" and "All Time Low," fans can visit the Kia Soul Lounge — an interactive tent featuring a DJ, body painting stations and autograph sessions — and obtain information on Kia's lineup of vehicles.

The Kia Soul Lounge also will feature fun activities and giveaways, including an interactive Create Your Own Beat music station and Find Your Tribe bandana station.

Festival participants also may earn Kia VIP passes for exclusive access to a private riser near the main stage or on the two main stages themselves, providing shade and unobstructed views of some of the biggest performances throughout the day.  As in previous years, Kia Motors' official Kia Warped Tour blogger, Steve Guttbinder, will provide fans with behind-the-scenes insights, videos and photos as well as answers to fans' questions throughout the tour.  Steve's vlog can be accessed at Facebook.com/KiaSoul.

"Kia is an innovative company that understands the culture of Warped and their support allows us to bring back two main stages for the 2012 tour," notes Kevin Lyman, Vans Warped Tour founder and producer.  "We are happy to have Kia Motors onboard with us for a fifth summer as the "Official Vehicle of the 2012 Vans Warped Tour." 

Kicking off June 16 in Salt Lake City, the 2012 Vans Warped Tour will feature more than 90 punk, rock, hip-hop, rap, metal, indie rock and electronic artists including current chart-toppers, long-running legends, and the hottest up-and-comers. 

Select tour dates and destinations of the tour include:

    6/16 – Salt Lake City
    6/20 – Las Vegas
    6/23 – San Francisco
    6/28 – Glendale, Ariz.
    7/1 – Houston
    7/6 – Auburn Hills, Mich.
    7/18 – Scranton, Penn.
    7/20 – Camden, NJ
    7/22 – Hartford, Conn.
    7/26 – Atlanta
    7/30 – Charlotte, NC
    8/1 – Milwaukee
    8/5 – Portland, Ore.

For more information on the Vans Warped Tour, including a full list of tour dates and any updates to the tour schedule, click here.