Hyundai Motor America has replaced actor Jeff Bridges with Paul Rudd as the new voice for its national advertising campaigns.
“We were looking for a voice that could be recognizable and relatable to a new generation of car buyers,” Steve Shannon, vice president of marketing for the Fountain Valley-based automaker, said in a statement. “Rudd can be serious, humorous, informative and entertaining all at the same time. It’s his modern sensibility that we knew would be a perfect match for today’s customers.”
Rudd, who’s starred in movies such as “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues” and “Monsters vs. Aliens,” debuted as the backseat driver in “Co-Pilot,” a new TV ad for the 2015 Hyundai Sonata. He’s “met his match” with the vehicle’s safety features, such as the Lane Departure Warning System and Blind Spot Detection, which go off just as he’s about to instruct the driver. The commercial was produced by Huntington Beach-based InnoceanUSA, Hyundai’s advertising agency of record.
Get to Know Outerknown
Pro surfer Kelly Slater is promoting Outerknown, his first ready-to-wear brand for men and women, which is set to hit stores in fall 2015.
Slater signed a sponsorship deal last spring with Paris-based luxury clothing and accessories company Kering after splitting with Huntington Beach-based Quiksilver Inc. Kering’s brand portfolio includes locals such as Costa Mesa-based Volcom Inc. and Electric in San Clemente, along with Gucci, Bottega Veneta and Balenciaga.
The company’s website debuted Sept. 8, void of apparel imagery.
It instead shows a photo of a shirtless Slater on the landing page and offers a mission-like statement titled, “This is a clean slate.”
Outerknown’s cofounder, John Moore, will serve as creative director, overseeing product design and marketing.
“There are surf wear brands, designer brands and technical brands, but we’ve seen the consumer’s need emerge for a transitional brand that brings together all three,” Moore said in a statement. “Outerknown addresses this void in the marketplace between sports and luxury, and our investment in quality and responsible practices will warrant this elevated positioning.”
Kia Wins
Kia Motors America said its drivers’ stellar racing record has helped it become the first Korean car brand to win the Pirelli World GTS Manufacturer’s Championships at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah.
“We congratulate the Kia Racing team and our partner Kinetic Motorsports on a fantastic season in which their hard work and dedication, along with the power, performance and reliability of our turbocharged Optimas, proved a winning combination amongst some truly world-class competition,” Michael Sprague, Kia’s executive vice president of sales and marketing, said in a statement.
The Irvine-based company had two cars in the races, Kia Forte Koup and GTS Optima. They were driven by Mark Wilkins, Jason Wolfe and Nic Jonsson, who helped score five wins for the team throughout the 2014 racing season.
Bits & Pieces
Renovo Motors Inc. hired Driven Public Relations in Costa Mesa to promote its high-performance, all-electric Renovo Coupe. … Morgan Marketing & Public Relations LLC resigned from Pasadena-based Blaze Pizza LLC’s account to pick up a PR agency of record assignment from Pieology in Irvine.
