David&Goliath Powers Kia New Year’s Eve Proposal in Times Square via Assembly NY & UNIT9
This New Year’s Eve, Kia turned up the voltage on romance with a jaw-dropping wedding proposal in Times Square, co-starring the all-electric Kia EV9 and a real-life couple, Garrett Sutton and Hayle Ayers, from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. In a dazzling fusion of innovation, love, and Times Square’s electric energy, Kia made this NYE unforgettable for the lucky couple and the estimated one million people gathered in Times Square.
Tapping into its "Electric Like You’ve Never Seen" brand messaging, Kia redefined out-of-home advertising with a high-impact, large-scale activation—“Kia’s Most Electrifying Proposal”—created by David&Goliath. The activation took over the largest billboard in Times Square, The One Board, transforming it into a romantic stage for the largest proposal in history.
The magic began when Garrett and Hayle, who Kia identified as ready to tie the knot, were invited to Times Square under the pretense of a contest win to watch the ball drop. But what Hayle didn’t know is that Garrett had an epic surprise in store.
After a New Year’s Eve celebration at the Hard Rock Hotel, the couple were escorted to the platform at 44th Street and Broadway, where the Kia EV9 was on display, facing The One Board. As the official countdown began at 11:59 pm, a dramatic 60-second video directed by Michelle Craig of Unit 9, played simultaneously on The One Board digital screen. The EV9 rolls into view, showcasing its sleek design before Garrett steps out, plugs the car into its onboard power station, and lights up the neon proposal: “Hayle, will you marry me?”
The Times Square film crew then live-streamed the couple’s reactions, as they appeared on the iconic One Times Square screen – 90 seconds after the ball dropped – followed by the neon message “Happy New Beginnings,” marking a moment that will live on forever.
“The Kia EV9 is more than just an innovative vehicle. It’s a symbol for new beginnings for the Kia brand and all of us as we kick off the New Year,” said Ben Purcell, Chief Creative Officer at David&Goliath. “What really excited us about this concept is that we took the world’s biggest stage, on its biggest night of the year, with millions of eyes watching, and we created a message for one person. A message powered by an all-electric SUV with a whole lot of heart.”
"When David&Goliath first brought this idea to UNIT9, I knew instantly—we had to be on the team! The concept was bold, brimming with love, and just the right amount of chaos (tackling Times Square on NYE is no small feat),” said Michelle Craig, Director. “How could we resist such an exhilarating challenge? Carefully crafting the reveal for this couple has been nothing short of an honor.”
This bold proposal activation is a perfect reflection of Kia’s commitment to driving not only the future of transportation but the future of unforgettable experiences.
CREDITS
Agency: David&Goliath, LA
Founder & Creative Chairman: David Angelo
Chief Creative Officer: Ben Purcell
Executive Creative Director: Avi Pinchevsky
Head of Automotive Art, GCD / Art Director: John O’Hea
GCD / Art Director: Rick Standley
GCD / Copywriter: Tiffany Smith
GCD / Art Director: Mike Czako
ACD / Art Director: Diego Wortmann
ACD / Copywriter: Erick Monero
Junior Copywriter: Danny White
Junior Art Director: Riley Rawson
Managing Director, Integrated Production & Technology: Peter Bassett
Senior Digital Producer: Michael Van Pelt
Strategy Director: Kelly Slater
Group Communications Strategy Director: Jeff Cannata
Managing Director: Allison Draskovich
Group Account Director: Jamie Friedman
Account Director: Courtney Landrum
Senior Account Executive: Connor Heffernan
Product Information Manager: Mark McNaul
Director of Business Affairs Manager: Quynh-An Phan
Chief Integration Officer: Amy Chiang
Associate Director of Project Management: Jon Cindric
Project Manager: Lina Joo
Production Companies:
Assembly NY:
Creative Director: Geoff Bailey
SVP Commercial Services: Tara Holmes
SVP Visual Effects: Dave Zeevalk
VP of Technology: Luiz Garrido
Head of Workflow: Lucas Andrei
Producer: Zack Jacobs
Producer: Jenna Gabriel
Color Producer - Lucy Gatanis
Color Producer - Katie Andrews
CG: Adam Stockholm
CGL Beatrice Fiorini
Comp: David Schnee
Comp: Dhruv Shankar
Comp: Coche Gonzalez
Comp: Sal Wilson
Comp: Austin Campbell
Color: Maria Carretero
Color: Phil Choe
Color: Aaron Burns
Color: Kody Wescott
GFX: Daniel Cordero
Finish: Jeff Kyle
IO: Carter Kusner
Unit 9:
Director: Michelle Craig
EP/Producer: Pia-Louise Lauritsen
DP: Gary Long
Managing Director/Executive Producer: Mindy Lubert
