HYUNDAI AND YOUTUBE SENSATION POMPLAMOOSE RING IN THE HOLIDAYS WITH INTEGRATED MARKETING CAMPAIGN

Winter Sales Season Kicks Off With New Music from Popular Performing Duo

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, CALIF., 11/29/2010

Hyundai is taking one of the Internet’s breakout artists, Pomplamoose, into mainstream media with a winter marketing campaign featuring new music from the popular YouTube duo. Pomplamoose’s Jack Conte and Nataly Dawn recorded three new covers of traditional holiday favorites for the campaign. “Deck the Halls” is the theme for a new Genesis spot announcing a lease offer of just $399 per month. “Up on the Rooftop” is the soundtrack for an all-new 2011 Sonata spot introducing a $199 per month lease special. And “Jingle Bells” is used in several spots featuring deals on Accent, Elantra and Santa Fe. The campaign kicked off November 22 and runs through January 3, 2011.

“Traditional holiday campaigns are like wallpaper. We asked our agency of record, Innocean, to find something that would stand out.  This interesting YouTube sensation, Pomplamoose, intrigued us from the onset, and we’re delighted by the distinct, fresh sound they add to our creative,” said John Krafcik, president and CEO, Hyundai Motor America. “With the open, honest dialogue created through our recent ‘Uncensored’ campaign still fresh in consumers’ minds, this effort adds charm and warmth – along with amazing deals for car buyers. The integrated campaign will tie all marketing channels and leverage the built-in audience that Pomplamoose has amassed through their video songs.”

Conte and Dawn are featured playing instruments and singing in all of Hyundai’s holiday advertising. Their music combines Dawn’s warm vocals with Conte’s musical talent. Every instrument in their music is performed individually and then mixed together in their “video song” style. The pair of Stanford University grads also edited the spots, ensuring they are authentic to Pomplamoose’s style.

The campaign is completely integrated across all marketing levers: 

- TV

- Radio

- Digital: Banners, Tout and Hyundai.com

- Point of Sale Kits

- Social: YouTube, Facebook postings

- CRM: email and direct mail

Several variations of the spots can be viewed on Hyundai’s YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/hyundai

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2011 HYUNDAI SONATA NAMED “BEST CAR TO BUY”

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif.

TheCarConnection, the easy-to-use car shopping site that reviews cars and the best of the Web, today named the 2011 Hyundai Sonata its “Best Car to Buy 2011”.  Announced at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show, the 2011 Sonata topped TheCarConnection’s numeric ratings among all vehicles with a base price of less than $50,000, including destination.  In earning this distinction, the Sonata beat out luxury competitors including the Acura TSX, the Infiniti M37 and the BMW 5-Series, among others.

TheCarConnection’s “Best Car to Buy Award” was chosen from a field of 40 nominees. The winner came from reviews written by the site’s editors, who road-test nearly every new vehicle introduced each year.  Editors rated each new vehicle for performance, styling, utility, features, safety, and assigned a green score, then incorporated opinions from the around the Web in each review.  The result is a unique, one-stop car rating and review that makes car shopping easier for consumers.

“The 2011 Hyundai Sonata is a stellar value in all its forms - standard, turbocharged, and hybrid,” said Marty Padgett, editorial director of High Gear Media.  “The Sonata changes the midsize sedan game. Exceptional safety, fuel economy and standard features make it a must-drive for any new-car shopper.”

The all-new 2011 Sonata represents a modern approach to the traditional midsize sedan segment by using only advanced four-cylinder engines, emotional design and luxury features offered with Hyundai’s strong value proposition.  The Sonata features a new Theta II 2.4-liter Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) engine and an in-house six-speed automatic transmission, delivering class-leading fuel economy of 22 mpg city/35 mpg highway and 198 horsepower standard.  The all-new Sonata raises the bar when it comes to features and technology offered within the midsize car segment.  In addition to standard XM Satellite^® radio, the Sonata boasts segment-first standard Bluetooth^® hands-free phone system, available HD Radio Technology™ with multicasting (allowing the broadcast of alternative side-band content on HD stations) and heated front and rear seats.  The Sonata is also the first vehicle in its segment with advanced touchscreen navigation available on all trim levels.

Hyundai also offers consumers turbo and hybrid versions of Sonata.  The turbocharged 2011 Sonata 2.0T produces an unprecedented combination of segment-leading fuel efficiency and power – with an estimated 33 mpg highway rating and 274 horsepower.  The Sonata Hybrid features Hyundai’s breakthrough Direct Hybrid Blue Drive architecture using Lithium Polymer battery technology and is projected to deliver best-in-class highway fuel economy of 40 mpg, while also offering outstanding city fuel economy of 36 mpg.

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Hyundai New Title Sponsor of PGA TOUR’s Season-Opening Event

Annual Kapalua Tournament Renamed Hyundai Tournament of Champions

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. and FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif , 11/04/2010

The PGA TOUR, Hyundai Motor America and Seoul Broadcasting System International (SBS) today announced that Hyundai has become the title sponsor of the PGA TOUR’s season-opening tournament at The Plantation Course in Kapalua, Hawaii for the next three years. 

As part of this agreement and commencing with the 2011 tournament, the event is being renamed the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, reintroducing the tournament’s original moniker that highlights the exclusive field of PGA TOUR tournament winners from the prior season. This title sponsorship continues Hyundai’s “Big Voices in Big Places” strategy, positioning the Hyundai brand in the highest profile advertising venues including the NFL’s Super Bowl, an exclusive automotive sponsorship of the Academy Awards and a global sponsorship of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™.

“Hyundai’s title sponsorship of the PGA TOUR’s traditional season-opening tournament aligns our brand with world-class athletes who mirror our own competitive drive,” said John Krafcik, president and CEO, Hyundai Motor America. “This sponsorship ensures that every champion at the tournament will arrive in luxury, and the fans that follow the sport will be exposed to an all-new interpretation of intelligent luxury, the Hyundai Equus.”

Formerly known as the SBS Championship, this season-opening limited-field event was originally introduced as the Tournament of Champions in 1953 at Desert Inn Country Club in Las Vegas and maintained the Tournament of Champions identity until its title change in 1994.  The Tournament of Champions remained at Desert Inn Country Club until 1967, when it moved to Stardust Country Club.  The “T of C” then moved to La Costa Country Club in Carlsbad, Calif. in 1969, where it remained until moving to Kapalua in 1999.

“We are delighted to welcome Hyundai to the PGA TOUR family,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem.  “In our discussions, Hyundai expressed interest in continuing its brand momentum throughout the U.S., as well as further strengthening its position in Asia.  This title sponsorship will help accomplish these goals.”

After discussions with the PGA TOUR and SBS, Hyundai agreed to partner with both as the title sponsor of the event. SBS, the former title sponsor of the event, will continue its involvement with the tournament based on its original 10-year sponsorship agreement announced in May 2009.  Under that agreement, SBS will underpin the tournament through 2019. SBS will have hospitality and other on-site activities.

SBS also will continue to broadcast PGA TOUR tournaments in Korea through 2019.  SBS has been a broadcast partner of the PGA TOUR for more than 15 years.

Two-time defending champion Geoff Ogilvy of Australia will look to three-peat at the 2011 Hyundai Tournament of Champions on Monday, January 3 through Sunday, January 9, 2011, with four full-day coverage on the Golf Channel.

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