Hyundai wins Advertising Age Marketer of the Year award
Hyundai Genesis Sedan - Click above for high-res image gallery
Allow us to set the stage. The year was 2009, the month was February. The U.S. economy, which for months had been showing signs of springing a leak, was now fully flooding into five forward compartments. Banks were dead or dying, the housing industry had ground to a halt and without massive influxes of cold, hard government cash, two thirds of the Big Three would have gone belly up.
Enter Hyundai. Amidst all the chaos and turmoil, the Korean automaker airs (during the Superbowl, mind you) a very simple commercial stating the following: "Now finance or lease any new Hyundai, and if you lose your income in the next year, you can return it free with no impact on your credit." This program, what Hyundai calls its Assurance Program, was just one of the many factors that led the editors of Advertising Age to name the resurgent Korean automaker's ad men as their Marketer of the Year – an award that isn't just confined to the automotive sector.
Aside from just appealing to "broken dreams," (i.e. bad credit, job loss) Hyundai also pushed the then new luxury Genesis Sedan to people with "intact dreams." Moreover, while the Superbowl tends to skew male, Hyundai made sure to scoop up all of bankrupt General Motors' ad spots during the Oscars, an event that skews heavily female. Long story short, Hyundai's market share is up during the first ten months of 2009 from 3.1% to 4.3% and in September, when the rest of the industry experienced a 22% sales drop, Hyundai's sales went up 27%. Tip of the hat to Vumiko!
Gallery: 2010 Hyundai Genesis sedan
_thumbnail.jpg)
_thumbnail.jpg)
_thumbnail.jpg)
_thumbnail.jpg)
_thumbnail.jpg)
_thumbnail.jpg)
_thumbnail.jpg)
[Source: Advertising Age]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
2001 altima aka Jessica 4:07PM (11/09/2009)
WOW... Hyundai has set new standards for all auto makers to follow. Cheap but still very luxurious. Even German makers are asking Hyundai how they can make their cars so cheap but so luxurious and reliable.
Reply
Francis 4:27PM (11/09/2009)
> Even German makers are asking Hyundai how they can make their cars so cheap but so luxurious and reliable.
got any proof of said verbal exhange?
Luis 4:41PM (11/09/2009)
And still wouldn't give up my BMW for a Hyundai.
iRoll 4:51PM (11/09/2009)
Seeing as many, including myself, cannot afford a Bimmer at the moment, I'll take that Hyundai over the BMW. ;)
Way to go, Hyundai!
Monica Dickey 5:16PM (11/09/2009)
It's definitely been interesting watching Hyundai go from the people who wish their name was Honda to having some legit affordably luxury cars.
MikeofLA 5:21PM (11/09/2009)
I don't know where you got your information, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was based in fact.
I test drove the Genesis Coupe V6, and it did enough to cover about 90% of my longing for my old 335i. It was a superb car with enough grunt and grip to put a smile on your face and it's about $20K easier on your wallet then aformentioned Bimmer. Hyundai is doing Everything right.
Side Note... The Kia Forte Koup is amazing for it's segment. My girlfriend has the 07 Civic coupe and the Kia rolls over it in several ways. I am seriously considering it.
Christian 4:28PM (11/09/2009)
Hyundai is almost a "real" car company. I say almost because it is one of the few companies that fail to offer domestic partner benefits. Very attractive products, competitive pricing and high rates of reliability...and the only reason why I am not considering Hyundai to replace my Mazda is that the company does not offer domestic partner benefits. Shame. Time to grow up, Hyundai.
Reply
Scott K. 5:19PM (11/09/2009)
I'm glad someone else paid attention to that fact. As much as I enjoy seeing Hyundai's success, it's disappointing to hear they still don't recognize such relationships in the same way they do heterosexual ones.
Messiah 5:49PM (11/09/2009)
It's because the Chinese don't tolerate gayness like America. Shame. It's why God blows up our buildings and our troops.
Christian 6:14PM (11/09/2009)
I think God has more important things to worry about than 2 guys or 2 gals doing the nasty...I mean 2 guys. Cause I'm sure Messiah wouldn't change the channel if he saw two hot babes going at it. I guess America is as ignorant as I thought: Hyundai is Korean, not Chinese. And men blow up buildings, not God. Gee, makes me wonder how many of the 9-11 terrorists were flaming queers? Hmmm...
J-MON 4:28PM (11/09/2009)
"Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Hyundai !"
Reply
nightmonkeyGT 4:33PM (11/09/2009)
Not surprised. Hyundai has been making some serious progress in recent years. Giving that nerdy dude a new Elantra was pretty smart marketing.
Reply
penetrode77 4:41PM (11/09/2009)
you guys do know that HYUNDAI MOBIS makes auto parts for BMW's right?
Reply
Hako 4:46PM (11/09/2009)
Hyundai has an eagerness and alertness that is lacking in many of their competitors. They seem to welcome feedback from their costumers, from which they can learn and improve.
There is a clarity to their simple marketing approach.......good product, good warranty, low price. Add to that... addressing doubts or fears of potential new customers, offer desired gadgets and amenities as standard features as much as possible. They have a winning formula, and Honda and Toyota know it.
Reply
mike 5:45PM (11/09/2009)
I agree...
And they actually get stuff to market at a more snappy pace, it seems to me.
A lot more, "this is our new...' and less, "we are working on this and maybe you can buy it in 4 or 5 years or something and isn't it nifty....".
mike 4:52PM (11/09/2009)
To be clear.... without the influx of government cash all three of the large american makes would have gone belly up.
Even Ford itself said at the onset that if the government did not provide some aid it too would go down.
That was due to the effect the initial failure of the other two would have had on third party suppliers to all three - which also would have been forced out of business.
So - even though Ford did not eventually take any funds itself it most certainly would have seen its demise if the funds had not been given.
That intitial stop gap by the feds allowed ford to restructure a lot of debt itself and get into a position to possibly sustain itself if the others collapsed.
But if they had just been let go at the outset... all would have gone.
Reply
2001 altima aka Jessica 5:01PM (11/09/2009)
@Francis
It is not directly said but European companies are using more Korean products on their cars. This is the only thing i could find right now.
http://news.mk.co.kr/english/newsRead.php?sc=30800006&cm=English%20News_&year=2009&no=558551&selFlag=&relatedcode=&wonNo=&sID=308
But still Hyundai has proven themselves to the world as one of the leading car companies.
Reply
Mano 8:09PM (11/09/2009)
Interesting.. same stuff in KIA is inside a Cadillac! GM is milking those fat wallets so nicely..
Avinash machado 12:11AM (11/10/2009)
Congrats Hyundai.
Reply