Hyundai Motor America Selects The Richards Group As New Creative Advertising Agency

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., April 29 -- Hyundai Motor America (HMA) today announced that The Richards Group has been selected as the company's creative advertising agency. The Richards Group was selected after it and three other firms, including Publicis West, Publicis and Hal Riney, and Bates West, made a series of presentations to a five-member creative selection committee which included four HMA executives and dealer representative Tom O'Brien of Tom O'Brien Hyundai, Quincy, Massachusetts.

"We're very excited to be working with The Richards Group," said Hyundai Motor America President and CEO Finbarr O'Neill. "They bring not only a broad range of advertising skills and great creative ideas, but most importantly a cohesive brand strategy for Hyundai over the coming years to help our pursuit of becoming a Tier One import car company."

Hyundai will begin working immediately with The Richards Group to develop strategy and creative for the launch of the 2003 model year vehicles in the fall of this year.

"We will continue to evolve our advertising approach with the 2003 model year work, to better communicate the developing brand strengths of Hyundai and its vehicles," said HMA Marketing Vice President Dave Weber. "While it is too early to provide details of the new campaigns as development is just beginning, we will be developing a new tag line for the brand and a new look to our advertising," said Weber.

The agency will be increasing the staffing at its Seal Beach, Calif. office to serve HMA. Hyundai's five regional advertising associations will shortly be meeting with the new agency to determine if they will utilize creative from the agency.

The agency search and review was handled with the assistance of Select Resources International of Los Angeles, Calif.

Hyundai Motor America, based in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company of Korea. Hyundai cars and sport utility vehicles are distributed in the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than 575 dealerships nationwide.