automotive

Hyundai Enlists Kevin Bacon For Pre-Super Bowl Spot

Actor Kevin Bacon and his daughter Sosie Bacon are the newest endorsers featured in a Hyundai Motor America campaign breaking before the Super Bowl. 

The national TV spot, which features a new model, the all-electric Ioniq 6, debuts during the NFL’s AFC/NFC Championship games on Sunday. Last year’s divisional championship games averaged 49.6 million viewers across TV and digital and nearly 100 million unique viewers.

After the championship games, the ads will continue to run across broadcast and digital media platforms through March, when the vehicle goes on sale. The automaker announced in the fall it had decided to sit out the Super Bowl, focusing instead on a broader media buy.

Hyundai has featured a handful of celebrities in other spots including Jason Bateman in "Elevator" and “History of Evolution.”  The last time the automaker bought a Super Bowl spot was in 2020 with "Smaht Pahk" (which translates to "Smart Park" for those not from Boston), which included actors Chris Evans and John Krasinski, “Saturday Night Live” alum Rachel Dratch, and Boston Red Sox legend David Ortiz. 

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Themed “It’s Time to Go Electric,” the new effort aims to show how an EV purchase can be a lifestyle transformation.

With the introduction of the vehicle, Hyundai is aiming to once again making the electric vehicle lifestyle more accessible and convenient than ever before, says Angela Zepeda, CMO, Hyundai Motor America.

“If you are someone on the fence of going electric, we hope this campaign starring Kevin and Sosie Bacon will show how early adopters, at any stage in their life, can easily make the switch,” Zepeda says in a release.

The campaign was developed in collaboration with Hyundai’s agency of record, Innocean USA, while its media agency, Canvas, coordinated the media buys. 

The 60- and 30-second hero spots, titled “Your Dad Is Going Electric,” feature the father-daughter duo taking a drive in his new all-electric Ioniq 6. Kevin,  an early adopter, is excited to show off all the capabilities of his new ride to unassuming strangers. 

The ads put a humorous spin on Kevin and Sosie Bacon's relationship, showing that even her “older” and less technologically savvy dad has made the leap to electric vehicles before most consumers.

The 60-second ad also directly addresses consumers’ concerns about charging times and driving range by highlighting how the Ioniq 6 can go from 10% to 80% charge in as little as 18 minutes on a 350-kW, 800V DC ultra-fast charger and has a driving range of up to 361 miles for the Ioniq 6 SE RWD.

The 30-second companion spot, “Grandkids,” continues to follow the father-daughter journey while highlighting the positive environmental benefits of going electric for future generations.

In addition, contextual social media content that highlights key Ioniq 6 features including charge time, Bluelink, digital key, etc. will extend across multiple platforms, including YouTube, TikTok, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. 

The spots were directed by Oscar-nominated film and TV commercial directors Will Speck and Josh Gordon, known for their work on the GEICO Cavemen commercials.

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