Hyundai Sets Off For Luxury Market With Genesis

HyundaiHyundai Motor America officially christens its voyage to the luxury market with a marketing campaign to support its first bona fide luxury car, Genesis. The campaign, at around $80 million, is also Hyundai's largest ever.

The company says it will spend most of the money during the summer, with half of the budget devoted to TV, while Internet, print and grassroots marketing will fill the remaining portion of the budget.

The effort--via Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, media firm Initiative and events firm Jack Morton Worldwide--focuses on vehicle features, and extends Hyundai's "Think About It" corporate campaign launched last year. The push highlights the car's 0-to-60 acceleration, braking and handling, quality, craftsmanship, fit and finish and interior quiet, with a "Discover your own truth" theme.

Although the company began touting the car in Hyundai's first Super Bowl ads this year, and has just begun a road show called "Discover Genesis," the big push starts when the car rolls into dealerships in July.

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Advertising hits in September with "NFL on Fox" and the "24" prequel, which will include product placement, "Grey's Anatomy" and CNN featuring Hyundai as the automotive sponsor of its election coverage including the Democratic and Republican national conventions. The effort runs through January.

The "Discover Genesis" grassroots program is a 15-city tour that started this month, and hits luxury markets. Hyundai says it includes a stop at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and ends in October at the Autobahn Country Club. Consumers will be able to test-drive and compare Genesis to competitive vehicles.

There will also be a microsite, hyundaigenesis.com, which includes vehicle images and videos, footage of competitive testing and the "Discover Genesis" comparison game.

Also on tap is a digital CRM plan including social marketing, online chat, viral marketing, a Genesis-specific owner site and a Genesis-specific welcome kit. The company says it has pre-sold 1,000 Genesis vehicles via dealer orders.

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