Hyundai Reportedly Putting Ad Account Up for Review
By JENNIFER BELLANTONIO
Orange County’s advertising industry was buzzing last week on news that Fountain Valley-based Hyundai Motor America Inc. reportedly put its $150 million U.S. media account up for review.
Irvine-based Bates USA West has been Hyundai’s agency-of-record for media and creative services since the company began distributing cars in the U.S. in 1986.
An official at Bates declined to comment on the news, and Hyundai did not return phone calls.
According to trade advertising magazine AdWeek, presentations for the account are set to take place this week at Hyundai Motor Co.’s Seoul headquarters. Several undisclosed agencies are involved in the review
It is unclear what lead Hyundai to put its account up for review. But it’s the biggest chunk of auto-advertising business to surface in OC since Young & Rubicam Inc.’s Irvine office landed Jaguar’s $125 million global ad account last spring.
Hyundai has long been considered Bates’ plum account.
The agency helped Hyundai break out of a long slump of disappointing sales with its “Driving is believing” campaign, which launched in 1999 and promotes Hyundai’s 10-year warranty.
Even as sales have slipped industrywide this year, Hyundai has posted double-digit gains here.
Bates, OC’s fourth largest ad shop with $250 million in capitalized billings last year, counts 125 employees.
