(August 28, 2011) IRVINE, Calif. — Kia is bringing back its dancing hamsters in a new ad campaign for the freshened 2012 Kia Soul.

Kia posted a 60-second commercial on YouTube Friday. The spot opens with post-apocalyptic battle scene between robotic aliens and space-age soldiers. That is, until the hamsters arrive in their 2012 Kia Soul and everyone starts dancing to music from electro-pop dance music group LMFAO.

"Share Some Soul" is set in a dark, futuristic videogame world in which the hamsters turn a fierce battle between alien robots and humanoids into an interstellar dance party.

Watch the hampsters.

"The success and popularity of the Soul continues to grow and attract new customers to the Kia brand, and with music playing an important role in our marketing efforts it is the perfect time for the hamsters to return for a third installment featuring the infectious sounds of LMFAO's 'Party Rock Anthem' to highlight the 2012 Soul's new attributes," said Michael Sprague, vice president, marketing & communications, Kia.

The original hamster Kia spots were one of the biggest marketing coups of the past few years, earning the brand industry accolades and consumer attention alike. The new campaign aims to cash in on that good will fueled for the 2012 Soul's campaign, dubbed "Share Some Soul."

The commercial will make its TV debut during the MTV Video Music Awards tonight (Aug. 28). The campaign hits movie theaters starting Sept. 2 and 30-second versions of the spot will begin to air on cable and network TV on Sept. 5, Kia said in a statement.

Unveiled earlier this year at the New York International Auto Show, the 2012 Soul won critical acclaim for its finessed styling and increased power and higher fuel economy. With the new 2.0-liter engine, Soul now delivers a class-leading 164 horsepower (an increase of 22 horsepower over the previous model year), and the new 1.6-liter engine offers 138 horsepower (an increase of 16 horsepower) and fuel-saving and emissions reducing gasoline direct injection (GDI) technology.

Mated to new six-speed manual and automatic transmissions, the 1.6-liter engine delivers up to 35 miles per gallon on the highway (up four mpg). The new Soul will be among the first in the segment to offer Kia's new Idle Stop and Go technology, further enhancing its fuel-sipping capabilities.