David&Goliath’s Ultra-Cool Soul Hamsters

Advertising Agency David&Goliath’s brand communication campaign for Kia’s 5-door, 5-seater compact, Soul SUV crossover, designed for the hip-lifestyle of an urban youth market, made automotive advertising history, when the life-sized, music-loving hamster icons were inducted to the Madison Avenue Walk of Fame in 2011; the only automotive brand on record ever to be accorded this honour.

Escaping The Treadmill

The metaphorical hamster-treadmill campaign’s positive attitude to life, about self-expression, and breaking out of the daily tedium of sameness, by finding “A New Way To Roll’, became a resonating message of wide appeal across metropolitan urbanities.

1. Kia Soul, A New Way to Roll

Advertising Agency: David & Goliath, Los Angeles

Directed by filmmaker Tarsem Singh, this was the first commercial to feature the ultra-cool Kia ‘Soul Hamsters’. It was also the start of a remarkable success story of what would become one of the longest running advertising campaigns in the recent history of Automotive Advertising.

2. Kia Soul, This Or That

Advertising Agency: David & Goliath, Los Angeles

The Soul Hamsters show off their street-cred to a soundtrack of Hip-Hop duo Black Sheep’s song “The Choice Is Yours”, in a superbly crafted commercial directed by filmmaker Antoine Bardou-Jacquet.

3. Kia Soul, Rock Anthem

Advertising Agency: David & Goliath, Los Angeles

The commercial was first aired during the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards featuring the number one hit song at the time, “Party Rock Anthem” by electro-pop group LMFAO.

Director Mark Romanek, and award-winning visual effects company, Method, cast the Soul Hamsters arriving in a spectacularly bleak video-game shoot-out, as cool ambassadors of game-changing optimism. The result makes for highly entertaining viewing.

4. Kia Soul, Bringing The House Down

Advertising Agency: David & Goliath, Los Angeles

Directed by Carl Erik Rinsch and filmed on location in Prague, this surreal, time-travel commercial was first aired during the MTV Video Music Awards in 2012. The soundtrack features the song “In My Mind” (Axwell Remix) by Ivan Gough, Feenixpawl, and Georgi Kay.

5. Kia Soul, Applause

Advertising Agency: David & Goliath, Los Angeles

Directed by Colin Jeffery, this cinematic commercial stars the Soul Hamsters preparing for their grand appearance during the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards to introduce the all-new Kia Soul. The soundtrack features Lady Gaga’s new single “Applause” which she performed live for the very first time at the Awards.

6. Kia Soul, Fully Charged

Advertising Agency: David & Goliath, Los Angeles
To the delight of millions of Soul Hamster fans, the launch of Kia Soul’s all electric EV saw the introduction of some ultra cool female counterparts in this entertaining phantasy.

Directed by Colin Jeffery, the commercial about a charmingly absurd laboratory experiment plays out against a soundtrack of “Animals” by Maroon 5, sung by Adam Levine.

7. Kia Soul, Share Some Soul

Advertising Agency: David & Goliath, Los Angeles

Directed by Colin Jeffery, Kia Soul’s 2016 commercial was dedicated to celebrating the soul-bonding, multicultural resonance of music. The soundtrack of “Duelling Banjos” by Squeak E. Clean Productions, was specially composed and produced for the commercial.

8. Kia Soul, Turbo Hamster Has Arrived

Advertising Agency: David & Goliath, Los Angeles

Directed by multi-award winning filmmaker Matthijs Van Heijningen, the commercial introduces Baby Turbo, a very cute new Soul Hamster arrival.

This fast paced and highly entertaining scenario features “Ace of Spades” by Motörhead, in a highly effective accompanying soundtrack.