Hyundai, Kia win five awards at int'l advertising festival in NYC

Smaht Pahk ad / Courtesy of Hyundai Motor

By Kim Jae-heun

Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors said Friday they won five main prizes at 2020 New York Festivals Advertising Awards, one of the top three industry events in the world.

Hyundai Motor's TV commercial “Smaht Pahk,” both produced and managed by the South Korean car manufacturer's American branch, won two first prizes for the “Best Use of Humor” and “Casting” and a second prize for “Script and Copywriting” in the film craft category.

“Smaht Pahk” runs for 60 seconds and it was aired in the middle of the Super Bowl in February.

Hollywood actors Chris Evans, John Krasinski, Rachel Dratch and former Major League Baseball star David Ortiz appeared in the commercial and they act with a “big surprise” upon seeing Sonata's remote smart parking assist (RSPA) function.

The commercial received attention from viewers to rank second on the USA Today Super Bowl Ad Meter asking for their favorites among the 62 commercials aired during the National Football League's championship final.

Hyundai Motor's digital ad “Rear View Monitor” and Kia Motor's print ad “Grannies” won third place in the film and print categories, respectively.

“Rear View Monitor” portrays a witty scene where a Santa Fe driver with a neck brace parks his car perfectly using a rear-view camera installed at the back of the vehicle.

“Grannies” emphasizes the need for a pedestrian detection function in vehicles by showing grandmothers looking outside of the house with anxious eyes. It's not the first time Hyundai Motor won main prizes at the ad festival. Its brand experience center established in PyeongChang, the host city of 2018 Winter Olympic Games, won second prize in the Design category that year.