We needed to launch the SANTA CRUZ in a way that paid off its inherent difference from traditional trucks. Messaging that focuses on work capability and utilitarian features isn’t right. SANTA CRUZ is an innovator, designed for the joy of outdoor activities.
It’s different from the typical midsize 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.
So we skewed the traditional ‘truck’ cues and 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 took our innovative vehicle to its namesake, and home of sports adventure innovation, Santa Cruz, CA, to introduce it to our audience. We recruited locals as unique and adventurous as the SANTA CRUZ to show it off in short stories shot by the legendary skateboarding innovator, Stacy Peralta.
In the town that invented the wetsuit, we found a pro surfer, a graphic artist born into skate culture, and a skateboarding group that is innovating today and breaking down barriers, to tell the story of adventure in a Hyundai SANTA CRUZ.
Each uses the SANTA CRUZ in their own way to support their adventurous lifestyle, and we created social content tailor-made for their stories.
We created longform content for YouTube about how our different locals use the SANTA CRUZ in their adventures. We told the story like a tour around town with each story linking to the next by the SANTA CRUZ driving by. From the longform piece, we created digital, snackable content for TikTok, Reels, Twitter, Facebook and even a TV spot. Every touchpoint of the campaign was a different piece of the same story told in a way that fit the platform it was featured on. The short pieces of content were used as teasers targeted across social media based on a person’s interest in the featured sport.
In every instance, it was three stories of adventure captured by a legend and then tailored to fit the social media platform it was featured on.
SANTA CRUZ significantly outperformed the non-luxury category norm by 47pts. Very high Information (+60) and Change (+64) scores, two key components of new model launches.*
*As rated by Ace Metrix
