Hyundai

The objective

Using spokespeople of all kinds to tell the story of the IONIQ 6

When Hyundai launched the first-ever, fully electric IONIQ 6, they partnered with TikTok to tap into the social-first audiences native to the platform. The strategy? Drive awareness and video views through a diverse set of entertaining, creator-led video ads that would run at the same time as a massive North American sporting event that happens every February. (We can't say the name here, but you know the one.) Most importantly, they wanted to create fun, entertaining, TikTok-native content through the Hyundai lens.

The brand built an integrated production that included two TV spots and a suite of TikTok-first content that authentically leveraged father-daughter celebs (and adept TikTok users) Kevin Bacon and Sosie Bacon. The ads checked off all the boxes of an effective campaign—celebrity spokespeople, product demos, funny and relatable dialogue—all wrapped in premium quality footage along with contextual social content that was built for TikTok. The approach also promoted the TV ad on TikTok to extend its reach and amplify the impact of the TV campaign. (If a brand is on both TV and TikTok, it's subject to a lift in positive brand perceptions.¹ )

Hyundai bolstered the campaign with additional custom, TikTok-first content, since they knew it would help the overall performance. Rather than running the Kevin and Sosie content alone, Hyundai built a comprehensive strategy that leveraged its existing creative assets and included native, creator-led storytelling.

The solution

A masterclass in co-creation and community storytelling

Hyundai built out its strategy using three key tactics. First, the brand ran a series of TopView ads and concurrent Auction and Spark Ads. Additionally, on the day of The Big Game, Hyundai placed a cutdown of its TV ad on TikTok using Pulse, a contextual advertising solution that allows advertisers to target specific communities on TikTok (in this case, the auto and sports communities.) This allowed Hyundai to extend the reach of the ad and prime TikTok viewers for messaging about Hyundai and the IONIQ 6—proving that there is a strategic way to incorporate existing TV creative within a holistic campaign.

The brand also asked creators to remix the ad into custom content. Co-creation is a pillar of TikTok storytelling; features like Duet, Stitch, and the Green Screen filter make it easy for users to add their own flair to each other’s videos. Recognizing this, Hyundai tapped into creators who could effectively convey key brand messaging in their own authentic style. Hyundai curated a diverse roster of creators with strong voices and unique perspectives to produce content. Notable creators involved in this initiative included @oldgays, @monaswain, @jetbentlee, @tj_therrien, and @angryreactions.

It's a testament to how brands can marry their existing creative with custom storytelling—so they can get the most out of the work they've already put in and make content that makes sense for TikTok.

On top of all this, Hyundai enlisted creators to produce fully-customized TikTok storytelling that incorporated popular trends and spoke to with active communities. Hyundai collaborated with creators such as @zeth, @amauryguichon, and @chefreactions to develop content that prominently featured the IONIQ 6. The creators skillfully integrated the car into their content, delivering engaging narratives.

This element of their strategy demonstrates an awareness of the value of TikTok trends and communities. Hyundai leaned heavily into the storytelling strengths of the creators they chose, which helped the videos take off and garner engagement from their respective communities.

The results

Flipping the script on traditional marketing during tentpole moments

This campaign points to the new norms when it comes to brands reaching viewers during tentpole moments. For years, brands would mostly show up only on TV for those kinds of events. But Hyundai knows that, in the modern marketing landscape, it's key to combine old strategies with new strategies in a thoughtful and innovative way.

The videos also underscore how brands can work with public figures for different types of advertisements. For TV, Hyundai partnered with beloved actors to serve as spokespeople; on TikTok, the brand partnered with keyed-in creators to serve as storytellers. Both strategies made the most sense for the channel they were built for—and drove massive success for Hyundai.

The results of Hyundai's strategy speak for themselves. According to a brand lift study, the brand saw a 13% lift in ad recall, a 3.5% lift in brand awareness, and a 2.5% lift in brand familiarity. Not to mention the millions of views and impressions and thousands of comments they received from the TikTok community, which demonstrated a deep level of investment and engagement from viewers on the platform.

Source: (1) TikTok Marketing Science US Cross-Platform Study 2021 conducted by Neurons