Kia, Starbucks Join Sprint as 'Voice' Sponsors

All three will appear in premiere episode following Super Bowl

By Tim Baysinger -- Broadcasting & Cable, 1/31/2012 11:32:47 AM

Kia Motors and Starbucks Coffee have joined Sprint as official sponsors for the second season of NBC's The Voice.

Each will appear throughout the season through on-air integrations, branding opportunities and extensive digital programs; all three will be featured during The Voice's season premiere Sunday following Super Bowl XLVI.

Sprint returns for a second year as an official sponsor, this time in an expanded role. The phone service provider will again sponsor the Social Media Room as well as the official voting, which includes: on-air, on NBC.com, on Facebook, on NBC's synched-to-broadcast second screen experience NBC Live, and mobile. Spring will also sponsor a special online live stream that will be available on NBC.com after each live performance show with social media correspondent Christina Milian, who will answer fan questions and comments. Sprint will be providing mobile phones and tablets for each of the contestants, mentors and coaches.

Kia will feature the 2012 Sorento CUV, which will be used during the Battle Rounds, as the contestants will be seen driving the cars and using the car-maker's UVO voice-activated communications system. There will also be a series of Webisodes with season one contestant Dina Frampton, where she drives around in Sorento.

Starbucks will help support the creation of exclusive online content that will feature the contestants focusing on ways to serve local communities. Starbucks will also be used as the beverage of choice for the coaches and contestants.

Jim Hoffman, executive VP, sales & marketing, NBC said, "We are thrilled that Kia Motors and Starbucks will be joining Sprint as our partners for the second season of The Voice. Each of these brands has the unique opportunity to be a part of one of this season's most anticipated programs and their involvement also helps add new consumer experiences to the show."