Just like it previewed a week ago, Kia’->ke41s Super Bowl 50 commercial revolves around Academy Award-winner Christopher Walken and a pair of socks, one of which is beige and the other being of the colorful variety. Actually, Richard also plays a part in it, as does the all-new Kia Optima, which is secretly the star of the ad.

The basic gist revolves around Richard, a well-meaning follow who just wanted to look for his beige socks. But, he got more than he bargained for when he walked in on Walken in his walk-in closet (how’s that for a tongue twister?) holding the pair of beige socks he was looking for. Instead of just giving the socks to Richard, Walken goes all philosophical, explaining the difference between the beige socks and the colorful one in his other hand. All this eventually ends up with Walken showing Richard the new Optima,->ke1325 labeling it the “world’s most exciting pair of socks, except it’s a mid-size sedan.->ke142”

The ad accomplishes a number of things, most notably Walken’s presence serving as an extra punch of excitement considering his status as a bonafide Hollywood A-lister. But more important that that, it also highlights the new Optima as a game-changer in the mid-sized sedan segment, offering what Kia Motors America (KMA) COO Michael Sprague describes as a “level of refinement and sophistication unlike anything else in the midsize segment.” Walken does a great job smashing home that point, even though the sock metaphor is rather curious at best.

Continue after the jump to read the full story.

Why it matters

A lot of companies in all sorts of businesses use the Super Bowl as the platform to showcase their new products. Over the years, the competition for the best commercial during the game has increased to such heights that it’s not enough to just tap unknown actors to star in these ads. The need to have actual and established celebrities have become as big a part of these ads as the products they’re touting. That’s why Hyundai got Ryan Reynolds and Kevin Hart. That’s why Mini got Serena Williams, Abby Wambach, and T-Pain. And, that’s why Christopher Walken is in this Kia commercial.

The ad itself is good enough to catch your attention and Walken plays his part effortlessly, although it did kind of remind me of his role as Morty in the movie Click. Still, it’s Christopher Walken, one of the coolest guys to walk into any room, let alone a walk-in closet. Having as part of the ad gives Kia and the new Optima a star that can influence a segment of buyers who are thinking that if a man as cool as Walken is serving as a pitch-man for the Optima, then the car itself might be worth a serious look.

2016 Kia Optima

Read our full review on the 2016 Kia Optima here.