Hyundai and Culture Brands Launch Their First African American Campaign with a Resounding OKAY HYUNDAI!

Hyundai Motor America and its African American marketing agency of record, Culture Brands, have launched their inaugural marketing campaign. The campaign, entitled OKAY Hyundai, is scheduled to launch this week and includes television and radio spots; digital, social media and influencer programming; and branded content with media partners.

“We set out to make our marketing more inclusive and representative, and the result is working with Culture Brands to launch the OKAY Hyundai campaign to promote the 2022 Hyundai Tucson Plug-in Hybrid and the 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-in Hybrid in a culturally relevant way,” said Angela Zepeda, CMO, Hyundai Motor America. “What makes this campaign unique is its relatability which we feel broadens Hyundai’s voice in the marketplace.”

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Insights into the vehicle target were honed through research and real time polls leveraged through Because of Them We Can®. OKAY Hyundai contains cultural references and nuances embedded into the creative messaging which is part of the Culture Brands recipe.

OKAY Hyundai came from the art form of how the African American community acknowledges someone. This form focuses on an approach of less is more, and efficiency is supreme. Oftentimes with just one word, those on the receiving end are seen, praised, and validated. See someone with a nice outfit on? OKAY outfit! See someone driving a vehicle that elevates the entire market? OKAY Hyundai!   

“OKAY is defined as a word that is used to express assent, agreement, or acceptance,” said Eunique Jones Gibson, CEO & Chief Creative Officer of Culture Brands. “In the African American community, placing OKAY before something is the quintessential way things worth noticing are acknowledged. Together, it’s the perfect nod to Hyundai and to our prospective buyers.”

“As important as the cultural insights were to the creative, they were also used as a tool for the media placement,” added Erik Thomas, senior group manager, experiential & multicultural marketing, Hyundai Motor America. “We are reintroducing Hyundai to the community as a viable option for new vehicle prospects, while showcasing the PHEV quality, benefits and capabilities of these vehicles.”

Diverse representation was important to the making of the campaign. Culture Brands, along with Brim & Brew, a Black-owned production company, ensured people of color were in front of and behind the camera. The result was a delightful interaction between cast and crew that is captured in behind-the-scenes footage that will also be used as part of the campaign’s social strategy.

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