Hyundai has been cagey for months about one of its Super Bowl ads, or at least about the actor who stars in it. Where else but the National Automobile
Dealers Association conference to reveal the goods, especially if the conference comes right before the Big Game?
The spot features Johnny
Galecki, one of the stars of the CBS hit prime-time TV show “The Big Bang Theory.” He drives a brand new 2014 Elantra, as does an attractive young woman pulls up next to him and he
compliments her on their good automotive taste.
“Nice ride,” he says. The light turns green and they start a auto one-upmanship
game. The comedian who appears in the spot is Richard Lewis, who is Galecki's passenger. He plays back seat driver as Galecki drives.
Hyundai says this is the first time Galecki has endorsed a product though he has been in the acting game for 25 years.
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What
Hyundai did not mention is that Galecki’s “Big Bang” co-star, and fictional soulmate Kaley Cuoco (“Penny”) has been appearing in commercials for rival Toyota RAV4 since
last year’s Super Bowl.
Hyundai has been more open about its other 30-second spot, an ad touting vehicle safety technology that depicts a dad saving
his kid over the course of years from various snafus, faux pas and accidents. The final save is not by dad, but by the Hyundai Genesis.