The sub-compact SUV segment is a common entry point for drivers under 35—a segment Hyundai has been a challenger brand in. The all-new, redesigned KONA was our opportunity to capture more of this market. In the rapidly growing, fiercely competitive segment, the task at hand was to ensure that KONA was a top consideration for younger buyers.

The campaign needed to:

• Get viewers’ attention

• Change perceptions of the brand

• Build brand linkage

• Drive search

When companies like Meta, Apple, Google and even ZOOM were mandating employees return to office, that meant a return to commuting. In fact, the day that these companies were requiring employees to come back in person was the same day our KONA launch was planned. It was the perfect alignment of strategy and creative. We crafted relatable films, social content and media integrations that empathized with drivers and the issues they’d face on the roads and paired it with heroic content that showed how the Hyundai KONA made commuting better. We couldn’t stop the RTO – but we could make the commute more enjoyable—which reinforced Hyundai’s brand strategy of enriching the lives of their drivers.

To break through, we needed to make a major cultural moment connection. With 90% of Gen Z and 88% of Millennials using social media daily, we made these channels key to resonating with our audience. We wanted our target of young creative workers to feel seen in a moment that had them wanting to hide.

Consciously deciding to coincide with the return-to-work mandate was key to letting them know we felt their pain. From there, we would prove how the brilliantly designed KONA and KONA EV with its fun looks, spacious interior, intelligent tech and advanced safety features might just be the remedy they need to get back on the road.

In September and October of 2023, we published numerous social executions that played into a growing trend in our feeds: people doing unexpected things while stuck in traffic. Bespoke social elements for TikTok and Reels showed it all, from people eating in their cars to the imagined insanity of searing a steak or live streaming from the next lane.

Once the campaign was live, Hyundai channel chatter quickly went from first bashing the notion of commutes to quickly commending Hyundai for nailing what people hated most about returning to work. Our community management team swiftly responded to posts and comments with smart responses to solidify the fact that Hyundai was on their side, and that we all could share a laugh at the unpleasant realities of heading back to the office.

Our creative strategy impacted the client tremendously.

•Generated over 1.59B impressions for the campaign in the first 5 weeks.

•Searches for KONA increased by over 200% to record-high levels, out-pacing the rest of the category by 22%.

•Overall KONA traffic to Hyundaiusa.com increased by 121%.

•Social mentions of KONA increased by 137%.

•Attention: ads scored directionally above norm in Attention on Ace Metrix, indicating that the creative was effective at grabbing and keeping viewers’ attention.

•Change perceptions: ads scored directionally and significantly above norm in Change on Ace Metrix, indicating that the message changed viewers’ minds about the brand by showing them something new.

•Build brand linkage: Brand recognition for the campaign scored at norm, and importantly the KONA was the #1 “single best thing” about each of the campaign spots

•Drive search: According to EDO, creative drove 22% stronger search engagement than the non-luxury category norm.