Hyundai Motor America has proven to be ahead of the curve in implementing its COVID-19 response plan.

The leading car manufacturer used various digital marketing tools to provide proactive and preventive measures on their dealerships across the United States. Hyundai has established a COVID-19 response team at all their affiliated companies to monitor the situation, minimize the risks, and prepare for all potential scenarios.

Hyundai has managed to successfully pivot their digital ads to address the pandemic and used archived footage of people and families helping one another. Let’s find out how the company has implemented its proactive COVID-19 response plans and identify several keys takeaways from their successful campaigns.

Related post: Reshaping Your Digital Marketing Playbook Based on COVID-19 Consumer Sentiments

COVID-19 BRAND CAMPAIGNS BY HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA

Hyundai’s Clean Assurance

Hyundai launched their Clean Assurance Program to intensify its commitment to customer health. As various states across the country are starting to reopen, customers can expect Hyundai dealers to follow their local state, county, and city guidelines that include social distancing and cleaning measures at their facilities.

Hyundai’s new Clean Assurance guidelines include:

·   Cleaning Protocols

Partnering with Bioesque Solutions, Hyundai is providing its dealerships with disinfectant cleaners for its facilities and vehicles. The company also developed a more comprehensive cleaning and sanitation protocol for their dealerships.

·   Social Distancing Measures

In compliance with the state, county, and city health guidelines, Hyundai is implementing stringent social distancing protocols and managing the foot traffic of its employees and customers in the showroom and service facilities.

·   Dealer Training

Hyundai created updated training manuals for their dealerships and recommended best practices for staffing, sales and service operations, customer communications, social distancing protocols, and cleaning and sanitization procedures.

Most Hyundai US dealerships are also offering digital transactions and remote service to minimize contact interactions such as online retail sales.  It allows buyers to select a vehicle and process payments on Hyundai dealer websites with home delivery and service pick-up and drop off options. 

KEY TAKEAWAY:

By launching the Clean Assurance program, Hyundai has shown that the company is ready to open its doors to new customers with a renewed focus on customer and employee health. The video they uploaded about this campaign was shared on Hyundai’s website and social media channels.

It summarized the retail and service health initiative that the company is doing at its US dealerships. In other words, it gives a strong “social proof” that the brand needs to solidify its commitment to health and safety.

Hyundai’s Assurance Job Loss Protection Program

Hyundai announced that it would cancel its regular vehicle ad spots to promote its spring sales event for a new campaign on broadcast, digital and social channels to highlight its Assurance Job Loss Protection program. The replacement “Unpredictable” ad spot showed how “nothing is more important than family, especially in uncertain times.”

The program defers payments for people who recently bought or leased a car and lost their jobs. The program provides up to six months of payment relief for customers who lost their jobs due to the pandemic. The payment relief is applicable for all customers, regardless of employment history, whether they purchased or leased their new vehicle from a Hyundai dealer and financed it through Hyundai Motor Finance.

The Assurance Job Loss Protection Program is part of a collection of customer-centric programs under the Hyundai Assurance umbrella, which also includes Owner Assurance and Shopper Assurance.

KEY TAKEAWAY:

By the end of March 2020, Hyundai’s video ad ranked first in iSpot.tv’s ranking of the most-viewed automotive commercials. Hyundai’s video generated the highest number of impressions across national broadcast television and cable television ad spots. 

This is one of the first in Hyundai’s series of COVID-19-centric videos. The automotive brand managed to quickly pivot their marketing efforts by replacing all its previously planned TV spots. Their impressive agility in responding to the crisis made them win the hearts of their consumers. They also successfully promoted themselves as a company who has shown genuine care and concern to their stakeholders.

Hyundai’s Hope on Wheels

Hyundai’s Hope on Wheels recently partnered with Musicians on Call, a nonprofit that brings music to patients in hospitals.

Hope On Wheels was initially launched in 1998 as a charitable organization committed to curing childhood cancer. The organization is now expanding past its original commitment as they bring support to doctors, nurses, and patients during the Coronavirus pandemic. 

Hyundai launched a new digital series called Healing Through Music and featured artists like Jason Derulo and Darius Rucker. They surprised patients and hospital staff across the country with virtual interactions and performances. 

Hyundai Hope On Wheels donated $4.3 million to 22 hospitals throughout the US to support COVID-19 Drive-Thru Testing Centers and 65,000 COVID-19 RT-PCR tests developed by Seegene, a South Korea-based global leader in diagnostics. Hyundai is the only automotive company providing test kits among hard-hit COVID-19 cities like New Orleans, Chicago, and Detroit. 

The company released a national TV ad, “Safe Families,” on the donations.

KEY TAKEAWAY:

Hyundai’s Hope on Wheels musical performances ran from May to June 2020. Fans can watch new performances each week on Instagram and Facebook. Posting these shows on social media channels was a great move to increase awareness of the cause.

With this program, Hyundai has successfully demonstrated the healing power of music. The campaign’s ingenuity helped connect artists with hospitals across the country. It could also inspire other companies to utilize social media more innovatively during the pandemic.

Hyundai’s The Un-Adventures Cross-Country Campaign 

Traveling during the Coronavirus pandemic has been limited. However, road trips have been seen to be on the rise in the US over the past few years. As Americans contemplate travel via car after the COVID-19 outbreak, Hyundai’s new miniseries could persuade viewers to embark on a cross-country journey. It is said that  35 million Americans have never left the state they grew up in. However, Hyundai’s new series is hoping to change that notion as they encourage viewers to drive to different places.

In partnership with video network Tastemade, Hyundai created a new four-part series, dubbed as “The Un-Adventurers.” The miniseries will showcase strangers who have never left their state to come together and take a trip onboard a Hyundai SUV.  Family and friends nominated participants called The Un-Adventurers, and they share how meaningful this opportunity was for them during each episode.

KEY TAKEAWAY:

Partnering with Tastemade’s digital streaming platform shows Hyundai’s clever move to shift from cable TV ad spots to digital channel marketing online. The timing of this campaign is also just a coincidence since the entire series was filmed before the COVID-19 outbreak.

With the pandemic restricting travel opportunities right now, this series will resonate more with consumers as they hope to embark on adventures again. The series shares stories of road trips and inspires people to take one on their own too.

Hyundai Motor America is setting itself apart from the competition since other brands would usually encourage their consumers to stay at home during the pandemic. Hyundai is veering away from that message as it supports viewers to explore the United States but still do it safely.

Hyundai’s First Responders Program 

Hyundai’s First Responders Program provides an incentive for healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Healthcare professionals and hospital employees (as defined by the US Labor Bureau of Statistics) are eligible to receive $500 off on all-new Hyundai vehicles.

The company is also offering a complimentary three-month extension of Hyundai’s Blue Link Connected Care service for their car owners with accounts expiring March 20 until the end of May 2020.

KEY TAKEAWAY:

Hyundai’s First Responders Program is an excellent marketing initiative that honors the valiant sacrifice of healthcare professionals in the US during the COVID-19 outbreak. It’s a great strategy to make the brand one of the top-of-mind car dealership choice for consumers.

Even if the consumers are not first responders, the campaign will still resonate well with consumers who are planning to buy a car in the future since it shows that Hyundai is not just a company seeking to make a profit during a global health crisis.

Related post: Navigating Marketing in a Post COVID-19 World

Shakr is here to help your business create a great COVID-19 digital marketing video response plan with Shakr’s Creative Grant!

We will give FREE mobile optimized video production package for up to 2000 businesses affected by COVID-19 worldwide. The project is designed with SMBs in mind, but it’s also open to larger companies that have been adversely affected by COVID-19.

With zero cost and zero commitment, we can help your business communicate with your target market with a 6 to 12-second quality proven mobile-first video just for your brand.

Let’s get started and apply for the creative grant now!

References:

Hyundai’s Cross-Country Campaign. (2020). Retrieved 17 June 2020, from https://www.gartner.com/en/marketing/insights/daily-insights/hyundais-cross-country-campaign

Hyundai’s Harmony of Hope. (2020). Retrieved 12 June 2020, from https://bre.is/BLd4Psff

Hyundai Launches Clean Assurance as its Commitment to Customer Health – Hyundai Newsroom. (2020). Retrieved 17 June 2020, from https://www.hyundainews.com/en-us/releases/3050

Hyundai’s US Actions in Response to Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Hyundai Newsroom. (2020). Retrieved 12 June 2020, from https://bre.is/BLd4Psffhttps://www.hyundainews.com/en-us/releases/3002

Irwin, J. (2020). Hyundai, FCA, Toyota Roll COVID-Aware Ads. Retrieved 17 June 2020, from https://www.wardsauto.com/industry/hyundai-fca-toyota-roll-covid-aware-ads