Hyundai Motor America’s Big Voices in Big Places campaign played it big at this year’s Academy Awards, with the automaker as the exclusive automotive sponsor of the show’s Feb. 24 broadcast on ABC.
The campaign aims to position the Hyundai brand in high-profile advertising venues.
Hyundai—which is operating out of Costa Mesa while a new headquarters is under construction in Fountain Valley—spent plenty for the granddaddy of award shows.
Media industry estimates pegged the cost of a 30-second spot at about $1.7 million.
Hyundai ran nine altogether during the broadcast—two amid preshow coverage and seven during the ceremonies, for a total tab of about $15 million.
The automaker took the opportunity to showcase its “growing premium lineup,” said Steve Shannon, vice president of marketing.
Seven Hyundai vehicles were highlighted in the ads, including the Azera, Elantra, Equus, Genesis, Santa Fe, Sonata Hybrid and Sonata Turbo.
Three of the spots were new and touched on the film industry’s culture of movie trailers, paparazzi and story pitching. They featured voice-overs by Oscar-winning actor Jeff Bridges.
All of the ads were created by Huntington Beach-based Innocean USA, Hyundai’s agency of record.
Hyundai also sponsored ABC’s Oscars website with video ads and banners on the site, and extended its sponsorship to include film-related programming on cable networks AMC, FX and the Sundance Channel.
Hyundai is a division of South Korea-based Hyundai Kia Automotive Group. Hyundai spent about $300 million on advertising in 2011, according to New York-based Kantar Media.
Hyundai has about 975 OC employees.
Oscars Continued
Laguna Beach-based social media marketing agency SoCal Socialite took a hand in the Academy Awards’ social media accounts throughout the day of the Oscars, partnering with Los Angeles-based AEG Digital Media on the project.
AEG specializes in broadcasting live events online.
SoCal Socialite worked closely with AEG to engage fans on air and online throughout the day, using its social street team to “monitor, report and make sense of” reactions to the red carpet and awards ceremony on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, said Erin Gargan, president of SoCal Socialite.
Viewers could follow the Oscars, AEG and SoCal Socialite via their various hashtags.
An official Oscar app offered users access to a dozen live backstage and red carpet video streams.
SoCal Socialite’s clients include Disney/ABC Digital, AEG Digital Media, and Beach Bunny Swimwear, among others.
The agency has eight OC employees.
Social Strategies
Among recent strategies involving social media:
n Foothill Ranch-based clothing retailer Wet Seal Inc. used social media to bulk up mobile marketing. The retailer offered fans a chance to win one of four $250 gift cards by filling out a form with their name and mobile phone number. An accompanying survey asked what kind of mobile device fans use.
n Lake Forest-based fast-food chain Del Taco LLC offered Facebook users a chance to try its new beer-battered fish tacos by clicking on a free food link.
Bits and Pieces
Newport Beach-based marketing agency InterCommunications Inc. won two gold and two silver awards at the National Association of Home Builders’ annual event for its bilingual marketing campaign, Panama Pacifico, which is billed as the first completely masterplanned community in Latin America. … Irvine-based ad agency Alcone Marketing Group hired Dory Ford as executive vice president of client engagement. … Tustin-based tradeshow marketing company ExpoMarketing Group LLC received national certification as a Women’s Business Enterprise.
