Hyundai revs up new Elantra with TV ads, AR showcases and gaming

Dive Brief:

• Hyundai is promoting its 2021 Elantra with a heavily digital campaign, the company announced. Two new ads will run during national TV broadcasts, including during NBC’s Sunday Night Football, and one will feature the BTS song “Dynamite” while demonstrating how the vehicle’s Dynamic Voice Recognition helps drivers.
• The automaker has teamed up with LiveXLive on a streaming concert series highlighting independent music venues and emerging artists. The company will also share its messaging on gaming livestream platform Mobcrush using sponsored breaks and live gamer reads.
• Car shoppers will get a closer look at the new Elantra through augmented reality (AR). With Showroom Live, customers can walk around with designers and technology experts to view the car before it’s available at dealerships, customize their desired vehicle and register for availability alerts.

Dive Insight:

Teaming with Mobcrush is a unique approach for a car brand, pointing to how gaming and livestreaming commentary on tournaments are attracting mainstream marketers. While Hyundai experiments with Mobcrush, other big brands, including Bounty, Pringles, Pepsi and Doritos, are flocking to Amazon’s Twitch, a similar platform with broader name recognition.  

On the immersive shopping front, Hyundai isn’t the only car company testing out AR tech to promote new vehicles and let people inspect vehicles from the comfort of their home. Acura this week announced a partnership with Verizon to launch its “Inside Track” AR driving game for smartphone users who want to race against friends on virtual 3D courses. The effort is part of Acura’s campaign to showcase the TLX sports sedan and appeal to consumers who are opting to use mobile and desktop technology in lieu of visiting dealerships in person.

By providing more immersive experiences for potential car buyers, Hyundai could encourage sales and position itself as a tech-savvy, modern brand. It’s among other established brands like Pepsi and Tecate that have hosted their own branded virtual concerts for homebound consumers. It joins other companies such as Bud Light, Crown Royal and Stella Artois in supporting venues that have been hit by closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic — spreading some good will that may resonate with consumers looking to buy from brands that take action in helping the community. 

“The 2021 Elantra is the sleekest, most tech-forward and fully integrated Elantra ever. It was important for us to mirror that redesign with partnerships and technologies that unlock better experiences for our drivers,” CMO Angela Zepeda said in a statement.