In 2021, Hyundai planned to launch its first ever Santa Cruz, creating a category unlike any other open-bed vehicle on the market. This new vehicle would not have the authenticity of American brands or the recognition of Japanese competitors in the truck space, while also being the first compact truck in this emerging segment.
Santa Cruz is immediately viewed as different from the typical mid-size trucks available today, with a smaller bed, higher style and a more progressive, comfortable interior. Research indicated it was preferred by SUV owners who like the flexibility of an open bed with the style and features of an SUV.
We needed to launch Santa Cruz in a way that paid off its inherent difference from traditional trucks.
While traditional truck messaging focuses on work capability and utilitarian features, Santa Cruz is designed for fun, outdoor activities. Instead of using traditional ‘truck’ cues or nomenclature, we defined Santa Cruz as a Sport Adventure Vehicle, aligning it closer to the sport utility vehicles with which our target was comfortable and familiar.
We positioned Santa Cruz as a new type of vehicle to help you find joy in outdoor adventures and express your individuality.
To launch the first-ever Santa Cruz sport adventure vehicle, Hyundai tapped into its namesake Santa Cruz, California. “Journey Through Santa Cruz” separated the all-new vehicle from the traditional, utilitarian trucks on the market today while celebrating the individuality and adventure sports lifestyles of Santa Cruz surfers, mountain bikers, artists, and skaters. One of those artists is Jimbo Phillips. The art his father created, and that Jimbo continues today, is a cornerstone of Santa Cruz culture. His art is featured all over town in local business logos, clothing, and skateboards. We commissioned Jimbo to create 27 original pieces of art, many of them featuring the Hyundai Santa Cruz.
Sales:
CYTD retail sales through October at 4,841, on pace to hit adjusted FY objective with big November/December push.
In its first month of sales, Santa Cruz passed Corvette as the fastest-selling car in the U.S.
Share:
Share at 1.5% in November, surpassing goal by 0.1%
Ad Effectiveness:
Ace Metrix: Significantly out-performed the non-luxury category norm by 47pts. Very high Information (+60) and Change (+64) scores, two key components of new model launches. Exceptionally high brand and model recognition.
Social results:
Launch campaign generated a total of 85MM video views across all platforms (+163%) while garnering 207MM total impressions​
Social sentiment was 75% positive (+7ppts above goal)
Total engagements averaged 264K/month, exceeding objectives by 165%
