Socks, sedans, and Christopher Walken: Here’s your first look at Kia’s Super Bowl 50 ad

By Andrew Hard January 27, 2016

Kia is well known for its quirky, comical advertisements, and for this year’s Super Bowl, the brand is taking it to the next level.

The automaker will air a 60-second TV spot during the big game on February 7, one that stars the always entertaining Christopher Walken. You are now reading this news post in Walken’s signature voice.

The commercial, titled “Walken Closet,” will highlight the all-new 2016 Optima, and although the 18-second teaser above doesn’t give much away, the spot clearly has something to do with socks. Beige socks. Also, non-beige socks, as evidenced by the photo below.

Kia Super Bowl 50 commercial — Image used with permission by copyright holder

According to the brand, “the new ad will continue to spotlight the next-generation Optima as the vibrant alternative for those determined not to blend in.”

We attended the Optima’s First Drive event in Aspen, Colorado late last year, and we were impressed with the vehicle’s handling and well-appointed cabin. For more info on the car, check out our initial drive impressions here.

In non-Walken-related Kia news, the brand has announced that it will expand its GT performance lineup with a new hot hatch in the next two years. Dubbed the Rio GT, the hatchback will butt heads with the lovable Ford Fiesta ST sometime around 2018.

Like its American rival, the Rio GT is expected to equip a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, sharp handling, and (hopefully) a manual transmission. Its rumored output of 180 horsepower is noticeably less than the Ford’s 197 hp, however, so the Kia’s new platform — which is the same architecture that will underpin the standard Rio in 2017 — will focus more on decreased weight and linear cornering. As far as the interior is concerned, Kia says the cabin and infotainment system will take a “quantum leap” forward.

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Former Digital Trends Contributor

Andrew first started writing in middle school and hasn't put the pen down since. Whether it's technology, music, sports, or…

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