When Kia Australia set out to promote its new Tasman model, it had one goal: relevance.
So, with that in mind, instead of leaning harder into traditional social platforms, the brand turned to Reddit, betting that its community-driven structure and high-intent audiences could do something broader channels could not: shift consideration.
For Kia’s digital marketing manager and longtime Reddit user, Tim Manning, the rationale and potential were clear from the outset.
“I’m a massive fan, and I use it a lot, and I know how much of a powerful tool it is,” he told Mediaweek.
“It’s such a powerful platform to leverage that tone of voice within such a hyper-focused community. As a brand, we saw a really strong opportunity there.”
Why Kia moved beyond traditional social
The decision to lean into Reddit marked a shift in thinking, away from interruption-led advertising towards participation.
“We wanted to make sure the ad didn’t feel like an ad; there had to be a value exchange, and that was true even from my personal use of the platform. So that’s what we really went into with our activity,” Manning said.
That meant rethinking not just the media buy, but the creative itself. Kia opted for long-form, Reddit-native executions designed to read like real threads, aligning with the way users already engage on the platform.
“Obviously, we utilised the long-form ads for this particular activation. I think it was really just about leaning into the tone of voice and who we are, and trying to show the value of this new vehicle and how Reddit can really leverage that through subreddits.”
The campaign also tapped into moments like the Australian Open, but the real focus was on meeting niche communities, particularly outdoor and automotive audiences, in a way that felt authentic.
One of the ads Kia ran on Reddit.
Walking the line between brand and community
But, as with every new venture, that push and focus on authenticity came with risk.
“One of the things we had to work through at the start was the perception that Reddit is so community-focused, and if you don’t do it right, you can see negative brand feedback,” Manning said.
To navigate that, Kia worked closely with Reddit and its agency partners, balancing brand safety with a willingness to adopt the platform’s tone.
“The thing that worked really well for us was working really closely with the Reddit team, obviously still ensuring that we have the process in place and that we’re comfortable putting our brand tone of voice in place.”
It also required internal alignment, particularly around what success would look like.
“Again, getting buy-in from the business and having clear markers of what success was were massive as well.”
Where Reddit delivered: the mid-funnel sweet spot
While mass reach still sat with broader channels, Reddit carved out a distinct role in Kia’s mix.
“You still need the broad, overarching channels that give you mass reach, but Reddit really excelled for us in the mid-funnel,” Manning said.
“So, take those high-intent, highly relevant audiences. We learned that we’re hitting them in a place where word of mouth, especially in the light commercial vehicle segment, is such a massive factor.”
That dynamic translated into performance.
The Tasman campaign delivered a 480% increase in time spent compared to the benchmark, alongside an eight-point lift in ad awareness. Auction-based activity drove a six-point increase in aided awareness, while takeover formats delivered a further 5.6-point lift in overall ad awareness.
“The uplifts were among the strongest we saw across all our channels,” Manning said.
“I think the one that I like to focus on the most is the 480% higher time spent on the ad than the benchmark. Even just looking at that, it was over a minute on an ad with very few to no video elements. It kind of blew our minds.”
Kia’s digital marketing manager, Tim Manning.
From test channel to strategic lever
Kia had previously experimented with Reddit through category buys, but the Tasman campaign marked a turning point in how the platform was used.
“We’d advertised on it before, but I guess, having confidence in the results we already had, if we can lean in and offer these people a bit more value in how we structure our ads, it’ll be a benefit for us and for the consumer as well,” Manning said.
The campaign’s success has helped shift internal perceptions of Reddit from a niche or experimental channel to a more strategic part of the mix, particularly for consideration-driven campaigns.
“Whenever there are new platforms and stuff like that, especially in a community-based platform like Reddit, there will be people who are a bit apprehensive,” Manning said.
“So it’s about going on a journey and working very closely with the Reddit team and our agency to put in place whatever brand guidelines and brand safety measures are needed. And I think they’re starting to really understand it.”
A platform built on authenticity
Kia’s results come as Reddit continues to strengthen its position as an advertising platform, with rapid revenue growth, rising global audiences and improving monetisation pointing to increasing advertiser confidence.
But for Manning, the platform’s core appeal is simpler.
“Reddit just feels very native. It’s not cluttered like a lot of other environments are,” he said.
“I guess it’s encouraging brands that there is still value in that community-sort-of element, and platforms like Reddit obviously champion that.”
“Remaining authentic within this space has seen great results for us.”