IRVINE, Calif. — Riding the wave of soccer fever that swept the nation, automotive companies that advertised during the World Cup 2014 experienced twice as much growth in consumer interest on KBB.com compared to automakers that did not advertise during the event.

The greatest traffic surge occurred the week the U.S. Men’s National Soccer team competed against Portugal and Germany, as many Americans tuned in to the high-profile games, according to Kelley Blue Book.  

“By creating entertaining, soccer-specific commercials, World Cup automotive advertisers Kia, Volkswagen, Hyundai and Nissan successfully generated interest around their brand and models, driving consumer research activity on KBB.com,” said Arthur Henry, analyst for Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com. “Each advertiser also highlighted elements of the game that were relatable to the casual American soccer fan.”

Kia and Volkswagen tied for first place in this year’s World Cup ad game, increasing their searches on KBB.com by 18%. Kia’s commercials featured Brazilian supermodel Adriana Lima, and the brand experienced a similar traffic surge on KBB.com when Lima previously starred in the automaker’s commercial that aired during the 2012 Super Bowl.  Volkswagen’s consumer interest likely surged because the German manufacturer benefits from its large following among soccer fans.

Hyundai and Nissan increased their searches on the site by 14% and 12%, respectively.