York on Ads: No 29: Hyundai
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.WHAT IS stopping you buying a Korean car? Is it because you've never seen one and don't know anything about them? Or is it because you've checked one out and decided that it doesn't measure up? Or, let's face it, is it because you're an Anglocentric racist who hates the entire Korean people and is particularly prejudiced against delightful, deserving, thoughtful Korean children in sailor suits?
This is the challenge Hyundai makes in its new ads, intending them to become talking points. Taking Hyundai's 'problem' - that its country of origin isn't quite on the UK's approved shopping-list yet and may be seen as would-be Japanese - it attempts to turn it into a unique selling point.
In yet another New-Age-style sequence we see lovely Korean things - blossoms and buildings - and very superior people. On the sound track are what sound like quotes from W Gordon Allport's classic sociology text The Nature of Prejudice, read by a voice almost certainly filed under 'Authority'. 'Even deeply held prejudice can be removed by knowledge and experience,' it says. Meanwhile we get tasteful glimpses of the car blending with the collage of artistic, enterprising Korea.
This is a part of a new style of advertising, with distinct overtones of social responsibility and 'values', that yokes products and services to issues. Viz the Body Shop or Benetton. Hyundai is offering viewers more than just a car: this is an opportunity to express yourself as superior to those benighted rednecks who won't touch anything that isn't made in Birmingham or Stuttgart.
Videos supplied by Tellex Commercials
(Photograph omitted)
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments