The 2011 Sprite Slam Dunk, which was held last Saturday as part of the NBA All-Star Game, was won by Blake Griffin, who performed a dunk over a car. The vehicle we are talking about is a 2011 Kia Optima, the official vehicle of the NBA, with the whole story being used as a marketing stunt.
“With a gospel choir singing at midcourt and more than 18,000 basketball fans on their feet at Staples Center, Blake Griffin won Saturday's 2011 Sprite Slam Dunk by doing something no other NBA player had done before: dunking over a car. As his teammate Baron Davis tossed an alley-oop pass through the sunroof of the all-new 2011 Kia Optima, Griffin flew over the six-foot wide hood of the midsize sedan for a powerful two-handed dunk to capture the Sprite Slam Dunk title," stated the press release.
Griffin’s feat was watched by a record television audience on TNT as the 2011 NBA All-Star Saturday Night presented by State Farm was the most watched in the event’s 26-year history.
"Blake Griffin's incredible feat during NBA All-Star 2011 was anything but average and we are proud the all-new Kia Optima played a role in his Sprite Slam Dunk championship," said Michael Sprague, vice president, marketing & communications, Kia Motors America. "Kia Motors is the Official Automotive Partner of the NBA and we are tremendous fans of the game of basketball.”
Kia announced that it will introduce a new 30-second spot featuring the stunt, accompanying this by additional print advertisements.
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