Hyundai "Wow: Elantra" (2015) :30 (USA)

I've watched this ad several times now before posting and I'm still not sure why Hyundai and its advertising agency has such utter contempt for their target audience. How else would you explain a spot which paints a car buyer as being so incredibly simple-minded that they'd rattle off a list of features and then start screaming with excitement like a contestant on the Price Is Right? I honestly don't know. But it is quite interesting to get a portrait of just what Hyundai thinks of its customers. I can just see the brief now.

Who are we talking to?
Idiots. We're talking to idiots. Their IQ is equal to a can of Diet Coke. Their hobbies include watching TV, watching game shows, and watching more TV. Their favorite show of all time is Three and a Half Men: when Charlie Sheen was on it. Actually, they never realized Charlie Sheen left the show. They get excited about any old thing. Honestly, you should watch the focus groups. We're planning on putting them on youtube next month under the title "Dumbest focus group ever." This is your audience. Treat them like seals at Sea World, except without the intelligence.

Client: Hyundai - Central Region Hyundai Dealers

Advertising Agency: INNOCEAN USA
VP, Group Creative Director: Miles Turpin
Creative Directors: Lon Davis, Skip Tramontana
Art Director: Vanessa Volonte
Copywriter: Marvin Figueroa
Executive Producer HDAA: Jennifer Pearse
Senior Producer: Melanie C. McKinnell

Production Company: Cap Gun Collective
Director: Matt Miller
Director of Photography: Eric Haase
Executive Producers: Matt Abramson, Jason Botkin
Head of Production: Marisol Herold
Line Producer: Gabrielle Yuro
Post-Production Company: Orange Editorial
Editor: Brad Wetmore
Post Producer: Chanel Boyd

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Anonymous Adgrunt's picture
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David Felton's picture

They really need me in America.

Catherine Horgan's picture

I am more offended by the recent Hyundai Elantra ad that has been running in NY the past several days where words are "bleeped" on a 7 second delay to indicate that profanities are being explained. Really, Hyundai? This is the best your marketing money can come up with? Pandering to the lack of civility in society today by feigning to have foul language expressed by Hyundai shoppers? Grow up....your market may be the younger generation but that doesn't mean you have to insult them by suggesting they can't come up with a better way to express their excitement than by shouting out a four letter word.
Shame on Hyundai and for ABC local networks for even showing the ad.

Jack's picture

The ad continues to run and continues to (bleep) bother me. I've posted a comment at this adlandTV site but do not see it. I've even gone so far to write the FCC and Hyundai public relations department. I don't know why the public is not outraged by these ads. I used to work for Ogilvy & Mather and I highly doubt if we'd ever sanction such an ad campaign as this current Hyundai ad.

Dabitch's picture

You mean the Hyundai Wow: Santa Fe commercial where everything is on a seven second delay.

lulu beamer's picture

i HATE this commercial. nails on a blackboard. so annoying. make it stop. i turn to another channel when it rears its ugly head. this is a horrible, non effective irritating ad that insults

Really?'s picture

People getting annoyed by the Hyundai "bleep" ad really need to get another hobby.

Dabitch's picture

Why? Comments are here for sharing opinions on the ads, so I'm perfectly fine with that. Just hope that everyone is aware that the people who can do anything about it at Hyundai might not see them, though any social media monitoring team worth their salt would be checking comments exactly like these.

(....And please note that this site is Called "Adland" - it's just the URL that is "Adland.tv")

Rob's picture

If you listen closely to the inane dialog in this commercial, you will notice the volume is amped up slightly during the scream portion. Then, just when the scream has been on long enough for the viewer to reach for the mute button on the remote control, it is completely silenced by the closing of this inexpensive car's door - as if to imply something positive in terms of the car's engineering. It's a very cynical commercial that uses shock value to get attention. It's the commercial equivalent of bonking someone over the head with a baseball bat - "HELLO! I'M HERE! LOOK AT ME!" It's not humorous, nor is it effective.

karen angellward's picture

On the radio or TV.....I turn it off when the screaming ad comes on......sooooooo annoying. I figure if they all sat around a table and agreed this is a good ad....who would want to buy a car from them? One of the worst ads ever!

Scott 's picture

It's obvious what they are up to: targeting women, 30s, married with kids, drive Hyundai and you'll relate better to your sports obsessed husband. And for men, drive Hyundai and your wife will finally get excited about what you're into. They will also notice how prominent her breasts are after her little ball dance.