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Kia Motors America Renews Contract With LPGA Star And Brand Ambassador Michelle Wie


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IRVINE, CA--March 24, 2014: Kia Motors America (KMA), the Official Automotive Partner of the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA), today announced the renewal of its successful partnership with Michelle Wie, an official Kia brand ambassador since 2010 and one of the LPGA's most popular players. Through a multi-year partnership, Wie will continue to serve as a global spokesperson for the Kia brand and appear in advertising, marketing and promotions complementing Kia's partnership with the LPGA. Wie and a full field of LPGA stars will compete at the fifth annual Kia Classic Tournament, which tees off on March 27 at Aviara Golf Course in Carlsbad, Calif., and will showcase the all-new 2015 K900[1], the Official Vehicle of the LPGA.

"Michelle has talent and a youthful and dynamic style that embodies the drive for excellence and competitive spirit of the LPGA and its players, and she has helped raise the profile of our brand by attracting youthful customers and golf fans across the country to Kia," said Tim Chaney, vice president, marketing communications, KMA. "Through this highly visible strategic partnership, we look forward to watching Michelle excel on tour and showcase the shared values of Kia and the LPGA to a growing audience of enthusiasts."

Since becoming Kia's brand ambassador in 2010, Wie has supported Kia through a variety of activations. In 2011, Wie helped design a custom Kia Soul, which the world-famous West Coast Customs crew brought to life for the annual Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas. She also starred in a series of Soul advertisements that highlighted her skills on the green, and in 2013, she donated a Kia Sorento to Operation Hero, a charity based out of Marine Corps Camp Pendleton, Calif. This year, in addition to driving her Kia and promoting the brand on tour, Wie will use four customized Kia golf bags throughout the season – with the first bag debuting at the Kia Classic – and will support Kia Motors' marketing programs and make public appearances on behalf of the brand.

About Kia Motors America Kia Motors America (KMA) is the marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation based in Seoul, South Korea. KMA proudly serves as the "Official Automotive Partner" of the NBA and LPGA and surpassed the 500,000 annual sales mark for the second consecutive year in 2013 following the launch of seven all-new or significantly redesigned vehicles. KMA offers a complete line of vehicles, including the flagship K900 rear-drive sedan, Cadenza premium sedan, Sorento CUV, Soul urban passenger vehicle, Sportage compact CUV, Optima midsize sedan, Optima Hybrid, the Forte compact sedan, Forte5 and Forte Koup, Rio and Rio 5-door sub-compacts and the Sedona minivan, through a network of more than 765 dealers across the United States. Kia's U.S. manufacturing plant in West Point, Georgia, builds the Optima* and Sorento* and is responsible for the creation of more than 14,000 plant and supplier jobs.

* The Sorento and Optima GDI (EX Trims and certain LX Trims only) and GDI Turbo are built in the United States from U.S. and globally sourced parts.