Kia

Introduction

Kia Canada wanted a fresh approach to giveaways at Canadian auto shows. Like many exhibitors, they had been handing out tote bags and other familiar promotional items, but wanted something different, useful, and memorable.

They were also looking for a way to capture customer data and better understand engagement, rather than simply distributing giveaways with no way to track the response.

Solution

Kia Canada selected ReturnMe recovery tags, giving visitors a practical gift backed by a lost-and-found recovery service.

The program launched across Kia’s Canadian auto shows, with customer service representatives actively promoting the giveaway and explaining its value. Over 50,000 key and mobile tags were distributed during the initial program.

Following that success, Kia expanded the initiative to MLS game-day giveaways in Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver ordering several thousand more tags. The program then grew into a nationwide dealership booking initiative, giving Kia dealerships the opportunity to order branded ReturnMe key tags to hand out to their customers.

Benefits

ReturnMe’s Kia program stood out by offering more value than a typical promotional giveaway:

• *Distinctive giveaway compared with tote bags and other common promotional items

• *Useful beyond the event through ReturnMe’s recovery service

• *Ongoing Kia brand exposure on belongings recipients use regularly

• *Flexible across auto shows, sports events, and dealership giveaways

• *Strong staff involvement helped explain the product’s value and encourage participation

Results

The initial auto show program developed into a broader, repeat promotional initiative, beginning with approximately 50,000 pieces distributed at auto shows and later expanding to MLS game-day giveaways in Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver. The program also gained strong dealership participation, with 49% of Kia dealerships placing orders through the nationwide booking program. Building on this success, more than 50,000 additional pieces were distributed for the following year’s auto show giveaways, while the NBA All-Star Game and further MLS game-day activations were added to the program.

ReturnMe continued collaborating with Kia on dealership programs over multiple years, and throughout the initiative, positive feedback was received from Kia executives, support team members, and customers, including several testimonials.

Conclusion

What began as a search for a more distinctive auto show giveaway became a successful promotional program across multiple channels. ReturnMe gave Kia Canada a practical gift with lasting value, while strong dealership adoption, repeat orders, and expansion into sports events demonstrated the program’s appeal.

The relationship continued for multiple years, extending the impact well beyond the original auto show campaign