Robert “the Niro” De Niro is a Hipster in European Kia Ads
A celebrity having the same name as a product is some strange form of serendipity that is sometimes capitalized on in creative ways. For example, singer Bebe Rexha recently teamed up with fashion retailer Bebe, which makes sense for the 20-something and her personal brand. However, some collaborations make us scratch our heads a bit and wonder, “Why?”
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Two-time Academy Award-winning actor Robert De Niro has had an illustrious career, with pivotal roles in films like The Godfather Part II, Taxi Driver, Goodfellas, and countless others. So why would the Raging Bull actor star in a Kia commercial promoting one of its SUVs? Our guess is the gig paid well and because the ads are primarily airing in the UK.
But the internet is forever, and De Niro’s Kia Niro ads made it to the Kia UK YouTube channel and quickly caught the attention of many, even us here in the States. In the first ad, the esteemed actor shows up to a commercial set dressed like something of a lumberjack hipster — rolled jeans, suspenders, black-rimmed glasses, beanie, and all. Capitalizing on the joke that De Niro is old (har har), the director corrects the actor and says, “It’s not ‘De Niro’ like Robert De Niro. It’s the Niro… the car,” while De Niro pulls out a pair of reading glasses to substitute his seemingly fake trendy lenses.
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De Niro also appears in a few other less cringe-worthy ads where he’s wearing his normal old guy clothes and talks about all of the great features of the Kia e-Niro, which just debuted in the UK. In one ad, De Niro showcases the comfortable cabin while ordering a pizza and, in another, he shows how spacious the interior is when he opens the liftgate and his voice echoes. The e-Niro has already won the “Affordable Electric Car of the Year” award at Auto Express New Car Awards 2019, but having an Oscar-winning actor promote the electric SUV is just icing on the cake for Kia.
Watch Robert De Niro in the new Kia e-Niro ads:
Ben never thought he’d be writing about cars for a living, but here he is, knowing more about the Kia Stinger than he’d care to admit. When he’s not devoting his time to researching engine specs and other oh-so-exciting car details, he can be found enjoying time with his wife and dogs. See more articles by Ben.