Retired tennis stars Ash Barty and Rafael Nadal teamed up for a comedic Kia Tasman pickup truck advertisement that has fans buzzing, per Daily Mail. The ad, a sequel to Kia’s 2024 star-studded campaign featuring 20 Australian sports icons, sees Barty, a new mother of two, buying a dilapidated countryside fixer-upper. When a neighbor remarks, “Home sweet home,” Barty quips, “Needs a bit of work,” setting the stage for a parade of Aussie sporting legends turned “tradies” to renovate the property, per SEN.
Nadal, the 22-time Grand Slam champion, makes a memorable cameo as a roofer, cheekily asking Barty if the job is a “cashie”—Australian slang for an under-the-table payment. He later told A Current Affair, “I had heard of the slang before. It’s a funny thing, an Australian expression,” per Daily Mail. The ad features AFL greats like Peter “Macedonian Marvel” Daicos selling marble benchtops, Dane Swan as Barty’s party-loving neighbor hauling speakers, and Erin Phillips with NBA legend Luc Longley painting the house under their “In The Paint” business, per B&T. Barty teases Longley’s 7’2” height, shouting, “You guys need a ladder?” to which he laughs, “Ladders,” per PerthNow.
Other stars include Pat Rafter laying turf for “Best on Grass,” Jason Gillespie as a “Stump Remover,” and Paul Harragon as the town’s “Chief of Police,” per B&T. The ad, launched during State of Origin Game 2, promotes the Kia Tasman’s showroom arrival, building on the fictional “Tasman Town” from Kia’s 2024 campaign, per B&T. Barty, who announced her second child’s birth on June 16, showcases her charm, while Nadal’s comedic timing adds global appeal, per @KiaAustralia.
