Hyundai Moves Into Times Square With New Outdoor Campaign

PRESS RELEASE: HYUNDAI MOVES INTO TIMES SQUARE WITH NEW OUTDOOR AD CAMPAIGN

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, CALIF., 11/05/2009 - Hyundai Motor America moved into one of the world’s most high-profile advertising venues with a new Times Square billboard. The space at 2 Times Square in the heart of the famous “crossroads of the world” is a cubed shaped sign offering three display faces. The front display has two LED screens showing an updated stream of Hyundai video content, flanked on each side by two vinyl banners. The first Hyundai ads to be placed in Times Square feature Genesis Coupe. Hyundai is leasing the space through Sherwood Outdoor.

The video display enables Hyundai to develop new content that is both contextual and engaging. For example, the current videos feature the 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe flying around the world-famous Road Atlanta racetrack, drifting through corners and accelerating down straightaways. A question is posed: “What’s your excuse?” Viewers are prompted with: “But officer. . .,” then given a series of fill-in-the-blank responses:

“I always drive fast when I hear opera!”
“I was trying to activate the flux capacitor.”
“I get muscle spasms in the leg.”

“As one of the world’s largest brands, Hyundai is actively looking for ways to integrate with the world’s biggest advertising venues, such as the Super Bowl, Academy Awards and World Cup,” said Chris Perry, director of Marketing Communications, Hyundai Motor America. “Times Square billboards draw 1.5 million impressions daily and it is one of the most iconic locations for outdoor advertising, so it aligns perfectly with our overall brand strategy.”

Continue reading for the complete press release.

In the future, Hyundai will integrate text messaging capability so that viewers can customize responses and post them to the video board. Hyundai is exploring other interactive capabilities for the display, and will integrate new campaigns to ensure the content is fresh and topical.

The Times Square billboard follows a year of high-profile advertising initiatives from Hyundai. Hyundai launched its exciting new Genesis Coupe during Super Bowl coverage, and sponsored the game’s pre-game show. In addition, Hyundai sponsored the Academy Awards for the first time ever, airing a total of eight spots during the telecast focused on the innovative Hyundai Assurance consumer program.

ABOUT HYUNDAI

Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than 790 dealerships nationwide.

USA: Kia Announces October Sales, Reports Gains

On the heels of its best quarter ever in company history, Kia Motors America today announced October sales of 22,490 units, a 45.3-percent increase over the same month last year. Year to date sales totaled 261,060, a 7.2-percent increase over the same period last year. October sales were led by the all-new Forte compact and Rio subcompact, selling 4,984 and 4,005 units respectively. The Borrego SUV posted its best month ever with 3,919 units.

Kia Motors is in the midst of a dramatic transformation of its line-up, contributing to the brand’s continued gains in U.S. market share. The upcoming launch of the all-new 2011 Sorento CUV, the official vehicle of the NBA and the first vehicle to be built at the company’s first U.S.-based manufacturing facilities in West Point, Georgia, is set to further enhance the line-up.

[Source: Kia Motors America]

USA: Hyundai Sales Surge 49 Percent for October

Hyundai Motor America today announced October sales of 31,005 units, a 49 percent increase compared to October 2008. Calendar year-to-date, sales were up 4 percent. This marks the tenth consecutive month of year-over-year gains in retail market share. Hyundai posted the largest market share growth in the auto industry, up 1.2 percentage points (from 3.1 percent to 4.3 percent) for the first ten months of this year.

“We’ve done a good job of selling down our 2009 model year inventory over the last few months, with about two-thirds of Hyundai car sales in October being fresh, 2010 model year vehicles,” said Dave Zuchowski, vice president of sales. "We have our all-new Tucson launching at the end of this year and the 2011 Sonata coming early next year, so we are excited about the terrific new products we’ll be filling our dealerships with.”

The Genesis continued its strong growth trend with sales of 1,850 units, a 65 percent increase. The subcompact Accent and compact Elantra had significant increases of 106 percent and 225 percent respectively versus 2008, while the Santa Fe delivered a solid sales gain of 70 percent. Sonata sales slipped 2 percent to 7,790 units while Tiburon sales plummeted to zero.

[Source: Hyundai Motor America]

Continue reading for the complete sales chart.

USA: Hyundai to Spend Big on New Sonata Marketing

According to Automotive News, Hyundai Motor America is planning to spend about half its estimated $500 million to $550 million budget for 2010 on two redesigned vehicles: the Sonata and Tucson. Both are slated to go on sale in the first quarter of 2010. While the overall marketing budget is the same as that in 2009, Hyundai Motor America will spend more to introduce the redesigned Sonata than it has on any vehicle launch in the brand's history.

According to Joel Ewanick, vice president of marketing at HMA, Hyundai will spend about twice what it did for the Genesis luxury sedan in the summer of 2008 with the all-new Sonata mid-size sedan. Reports say Hyundai spent $80 million on the rear-wheel drive sedan. Hyundai Motor America is well aware of the success that comes with heavy marketing, as it especially realized this with the highly successful Assurance Program that allows buyers who lose their jobs to return cars within a year of purchase. Hyundai sales were up 1 percent last month in an overall market down 27 percent. The brand's 4.4 percent market share is a significant leap from the 3.1 percent last year.

With the completely redesigned Sonata, Hyundai plans to make a serious run at the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Chevrolet Malibu and Ford Fusion. The majority of the money will be spent on network broadcast and network cable TV, with a hefty share towards major sporting events like the Super Bowl. Hyundai will also spend big on the upcoming FIFA World Cup to be broadcast on ESPN, as well as continuing sponsorship of the Academy Awards. For the all-new Tucson, Hyundai will spend about the same as it did with the Genesis.

"The Genesis brought new, incremental customers, but the volume with Sonata and Tucson could be significant," Ewanick said.

[Source: Automotive News]