In 1974, Hyundai launched its first concept car: the Pony Coupe. It influenced the automotive world, serving as inspiration for legendary movie cars and the award-winning Hyundai models of today. But despite its influence, the original model got lost. Fast forward to 2023: Hyundai decided to remake this legendary car, with its original designer, Giorgetto Giugiaro. Our objective was to tell today’s car enthusiasts about it, while paying tribute to Hyundai’s heritage. And to do this, we needed a strong visual hook, so we faithfully replicated the visual-style of ads from the 1970s — the era of the Pony Coupe.

To create a print ad that felt like it could have been made in 1974, we not only replicated the style and layout of ads from the era, but also layered it with contemporary techniques to evoke an authentic vintage feel.

The layout mirrors a classic format of long-copy ads: a large headline, two columns of text and a central image. The headline acts as the ad’s main attention-grabber. Garamond Condensed, a serif typeface typical of the era, was used for both the headline and the body copy - formatted with elongated spaces and refined kerning.

A black-and-white image of the new, remade Pony Coupe reflects the photography style of the time, featuring a darkened backdrop and natural vignette. Post-production techniques add texture to create an analog feel when printed with today’s printers.

Finally, the print showcases Hyundai's original logo, which hasn't been used for over 40 years.

The Hyundai Coupe Concept Ad That Should Have Been was published in international automotive magazines, to give over 186,000 car lovers a dose of nostalgia. We achieved this with careful crafting of typography, art direction, and copywriting, as this was key to ensuring the audience read on. And in doing so, we were able to connect today's car lovers with the brand heritage, highlighting that forward-thinking design has been part of Hyundai’s DNA from the beginning.