Hyundai finds its ‘Orinocco flow’ in new work for the Hyundai Santa Fe via Innocean Australia
Hyundai has launched the latest campaign for the new Hyundai Santa Fe, bringing peace to family travel, created by its newly transformed creative agency, Innocean Australia.
The Santa Fe has long established itself as an award-winning favourite amongst Australian large SUV buyers as an innovative, luxurious family SUV. In a homogenous category from a campaign perspective, Innocean’s strategy was to position the new Santa Fe as the perfect antidote to family chaos, as it has been intelligently designed with today’s families in mind. Intuitive design features create an environment that helps resolve family tension, making everyone comfortable and happier when on the road.
The campaign idea, Little Angels, was developed from an insight that in the midst of family chaos, parents are striving to achieve their own personal moments of harmony. The campaign sees two bickering siblings instantly transformed into little angels complete with harps, singing Enya’s 80’s classic Orinocco Flow in perfect harmony. The world outside the Santa Fe is populated by a motorcycle courier transformed into a gallant white horseman, a levitating windscreen squeegee lady and a busload of elderly people who join the celestial choir.
Says Kevin Goult, chief marketing officer, Hyundai Australia: “With a significant number of new product launches in 2021 we‘re starting the year as we intend to finish it, with spectacular creative that pushes the Hyundai brand forward. The new Santa Fe model is up first. It’s more grown up, more premium, and more technologically advanced than ever before, just like the Hyundai marketing team and its agencies.”
Says Wes Hawes, executive creative officer, Innocean Australia: ”As parents we’ve all been there. Peace At Last is an enduring platform idea for the Santa Fe that resonates with families and just keeps getting better creatively. Director Michael Spiccia’s vision, paired with trusting, ambitious clients like Hyundai, and the talented team at Innocean Australia, help bring this angelically fun campaign to life. And Enya of course.”
Says Michael Spiccia, director, Scoundrel: “It was a real joy to service an idea that inherited so much fun and potential. I was grateful that the entire team were all on board from the very beginning. Especially from a client who instilled so much faith and trust to really support a direction that we were all excited about.”
The fully integrated campaign is the first off the ranks under the new Innocean leadership team. It launches across digital video, social, CRM, TV, cinema, transit media and point of sale.
Says Jasmin Bedir, CEO, Innocean Australia: ”The new Hyundai Santa Fe campaign is the first reflection of what you can expect from Innocean Australia this year and beyond. After transforming the agency with new hires across a range of skills to deliver a multi-channel, integrated approach, it’s exciting to see the work also transform to what we have the ability to achieve for clients.”
Client: Hyundai
Director of Marketing: Kevin Goult
Product Portfolio Marketing Manager: Helen Gilmartin
Product Marketing Specialist: Lisa Yau
Creative Agency: Innocean Australia
Executive Creative Director: Wes Hawes
Creative Director: Dan O’Connell
Creative Team: Dan O’Connell and V. Wassim Kanaan
Head of Strategy: Karl Bates
Head of CX: Romy Briers
Client Partner: Ian Hartley
Snr Account Director: Vincent Pled
Account Director: Sarah Gardan
Director of Integrated Production: Craig Sloane
Integrated Producer: Louis Moore
Snr Integrated Producer: Warrick Nicholson
Finished art/Design Juliana Bacmaga
Digital Production: Amanda Davis
Social Media Manager: Taylah Nilsson
Production Company: Scoundrel
Director: Michael Spiccia
Executive Producer: Kate Gooden
Executive Producer: Adrian Shapiro
DOP: Jeremy Rouse
Production Design: Sherree Phillips
Casting: Allison Meadows – Mullinars Casting
Editor: Mark Burnett, The Editors
Colourist: Ben Eagleton
VFX: Fin Design & Effects
Sound Post Production and Music: Sonar Music
Track: Enya – Orinocco Flow
Music Clearance – Anton Trailer – Trailer Media
Photography: Michael Corridore, Photoplay.
Media: Hearts and Science
146 Comments
Rough.
Annoying ad that says nothing about the car’s features – can’t stand that snotty boy and his smug looking face and if the air conditioner is blowing out some kind of invisible drug that is what is causing the change in the kids behavior
Most annoying ad in TV; we’ve started recording tv shows we watch and waiting 15 minutes before starting; so we can fast forward through the ad.
Saw it on telly and chuckled. Nice one Dan.
Shit ad!!!
This is so repetitive! Every add break! It is enough for me to NEVER consider the purchase of one of your vehicles. Had to ask someone what the car brand was.
Does anyone else find all the reflections distracting?
All a bit grey and soft. It’s a nope from me.
Love it. Great work to all involved.
This is very good. Well done guys
Love it! Best car ad in a while
love this add, best I nave ever seen.
You are fucking kidding yourself!!!
This ad is absolute shit.
Worst ad the ever.
I will not buy a Hyundai based on this ad alone!
Best ad on television. Well done !!
Yep, absolute crap.
I hate this add Enya must be happy her record sales must be huge. This marketing company are incompetent there is no focus on the car. It is Enya and those awful brats and pathetic parents. I hate all of your adds and I would never buy one of your cars!
Agree. I have had my time raising children and listened to enough screaming. The last thing I want to see on the TV is more screaming children. Until the very end of the ad I didn’t even know it was a car ad. I seriously thought it was going to end up being about abuse.
Liz you are fucking joking.
Worst ad ever!!!!!
Nice one Dan! Nice one Waz!
This is world class.
Love it
Good one Dan
Hyundai Press Release: We’re a CX/digital agency focused on customer interactions and future thinking, buzzword buzzword.
Hyundai Reality: Big TV ad with an opening so excruciating everyone will be sprinting to the mute button. And the obligatory poster that only makes sense if you’ve seen the ad.
THIS IS SO DOPE
What is it about the Santa Fe that’s unique and brings peace? I just don’t get it and could be for any SUV.
@Fun but generic me thinks
Could not agree more.
Love this.
Sorry, but I didn’t take out the angelic kids thing at all. Now it explains the guy on the white stallion.
Couldn’t quite work out why the kids suddenly burst into this weird song when the air-con kicked in.
Thought it was some weird brother and sister thing they did. Like incest.
I thought it was a weird Ad completely. Whoever thought this one wasn’t all there!
Wez and Waz together. Yeww
Dan and Waz together
This was for Hyundai??
GAME CHANGER
Outstanding
More like channel changer.
Hahaha my thoughts exactly. But my wife has to defend the Ad???
Love it. And the people who made it.
Best car ad I’ve seen in a long time.
Funny stuff. This will do very well
Nice one Dan!
I liked it on first watch because of how different it was.
On second watch I realised I didn’t understand what was going on.
I’m still confused about the air-con thing, why is it the bit that transforms them.
I certainly didn’t get the angel thing, not sure anyone will get that part.
It’s like a poor mans Dream Run that doesn’t quite make sense.
This is truly great – kudos to sonar for the arrangement as well.
Really nice work! Well done Waz.
This is good. More of this. More more more.
The new Hyundai causes annoying brats to inexplicably break out into Enya?
Lol to all the people calling the kids fighting ‘brats’ like they don’t have children that fight – it’s human dude!
The kids were completely believable, particularly the boy!
Awesome work, Dan and Waz.
Nice work Innocean
Get me a Hyundai. Nice one Danny boy and waz. Ear worm for days.
Awesome work Wez and co
Love this. Great start Wez
It’s really not clear what’s going on. This feels like a simple idea that got over complicated with too many layers.
Doesn’t matter how much you write on your own work how good it is, it isn’t.
Can only tell you the brand because its in the press release. Wont stand out on air.
Kids are total brats and annoying. Thats the only feeling I’m left with.
Next.
Beautiful. So beautiful.
I can see why your parents named you ‘Doesn’t Matter’.
This is nice. Watched it twice.
If the car turns the kids into little angels, why are people outside the car also singing?
Better crafted, Honda Dream Run
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4QeoTVt-as
Like it. Get it. Would buy it.
The car that is.
The new team at Innocean really have transformed the brand. This is stand out creativity that the brand has never had before, even globally. Jasmin was always going to raise the bar but this is Pole Vault-level raising. I imagine as we speak that the team, at Hyundai USA are repurposing this to run during the Super Bowl. Bravo Jasmin. Bravo.
These guys are the real deal. Monkeys, Glue, look out.
Saw it on air twice and loved it. Well done
Squeezing too much in makes it confusing and I doubt anyone will remember what brand it’s for.
jealous
Love it. Doesn’t tarnish my love for Orinoco Flow either.
Phone’s back on guys.
Congrats guys. SO GOOD!
Nice work Scoundrels.
Spiccia is a class act.
I liked it. Lot’s of good inner west spots there too!
I wanna see more!!!
As a parent this had me for the start. EXACTLY what happens in our car.
What is everyone else singing? (someone asked) Because they are and it makes the ad better. Don’t think about it that much mate!
It’s reassuring to see that solid craft is still well and truly alive in this country.
This is going to be an award magnet. Best thing to come out of oz in years.
Well done Innocean re-boot. This is work you can be proud of.
Yeah, why bother with the integrity of an idea? Slap a top tune on it and no one will give a shit.
This is really good. Liked it a lot. Way better than the lamb ad!
just hideous
Nice one Wesley
I am sorry but no. I get the premise of the idea but not executed well at all
Your self promotion is just embarrassing. Its a 30″ ad. And not a very good one.
60 comments to yourself. hilarious.
Sadly, I don’t work at Innocean. I wish I did. All I hear is That Jasmin has transformed the culture and client relationships so they are productive and harmonious. A big transformation, well done. And the work speaks volumes. Such a refreshing change for this brand to create ads that do justice to the cars. #
First saw this on telly with family.
As the kids say “it slaps”.
Nicely done.
Seriously. It’s soo shit. Makes no sense if you haven’t seen the ad. Next to no sense if you have. Guy on stallion takes your eye away from the shit car which is tiny. Fans loving this are showing their stupidity and lack of appreciation of the real world. Naive of the agency to include the outdoor. It is woeful.
Thanks for calling me stupid you prententious wanker.
If you don’t like this you’re part of the problem.
Got it straight away! Can totally relate. Nice to see some top notch and creative ad come to life.
Is it bad? No
Is it good? No
This is okay. Better than most crap on air but certainly not the best.
I will say, the self congratulatory comments are really embarrassing.
I get it. You’ve made it incredibly obvious …. you’re a new team over there and you want some justification and praise.
Truth score: 6.1/10
Oh my giddy Aunt. A client with conviction, trust, vision and, most importantly, balls. No no no no no. Can’t be. This should have been rejected and criticised. It should never have been allowed to breathe. The Hyundai I know would have killed this and chastised the agency. I would guarantee that.
Finally an ad that accurately represents the experience of kids fighting in the car…. all the extra superfluous stuff is just showing the harmony created in the presence of the vehicle…. we are not meant to overthink or analyse all the details – just enjoy it, and most importantly from an advertising perspective, remember it, whether we enjoyed it or not. Great work.
This Enya track slaps.
It’s a hell yes from me, well done getting this across the line!
Beautifully crafted. My kids can’t stop singing it! Kudos to the team and clients
I love a good elevator pitch. It’s the ultimate way of determining if your idea works, or not. So here we go. 6th floor, going down, ding:
‘The new Santa Fe makes even the most frustrating family experiences a joy’
Good idea, how will you execute it?
A common scene of two of fighting children, turns into a joyous and dreamy Enya music video in the new Hyundai Santa Fe. Strap line reads ‘peace at last’.
Awesome, how about the outdoor?
A white man with long blonde hair, riding a white horse stands next to the new Santa Fe. The headline reads ‘Peace at last’
Ground floor. Ding.
Spot on. As someone alluded to further up the thread, for all Innocean’s talk of ‘an integrated communications offering grounded in data and insights’, you turn out tv ads.
Is the boy the same (smaller then) boy from the MasterCard Little Pirate ad from a few years ago?
I doubt the Monkey or Glue will be losing any sleep. They have more than a single car client.
And this is just that! Glad to see Innocean doing well under new creative leadership.
Your self-congratulatory posts are embarrassing
I think it’s really entertaining, I found the idea easy to understand, and the opening in particular is bravely executed. The raw way those kids spoke to each other made it seem like a PSA. By the end, it had evoked the same emotional relief in me that the mum and dad expressed when they finally felt able to enjoy the drive – and being with their kids. So lots to like IMHO, but that said, it’s a shame they haven’t given their outdoor the same amount of love. The car shot makes it almost unrecognisable, and for a model that’s just had a facelift, that’s not real helpful.
Oh, and a bit over-the-top with the gritty, graffiti-ridden locations and 1970s bus.
I think you nailed it. Full stop. Nothing more needs to be said.
If your kids really do behave like this, give yourself a punch in the head.
My mistake, but I thought we were here to give a professional opinion. On an ad.
Love this
Love the commercial.
Where was it filmed?
Summer Hill.
Stop over analysing it, it’s a cracker and leaves a huge smile on my face – job done
Saw this on telly – then hit the rewind button – twice. It’s really got something. Clap emoji x 2
An instant classic. Those kids are gold!
I strongly dislike TV ads but this one turned me upside down. I love it.
I actually think it’s s really creative ad… well done to the marketing team and all involved.
I didn’t sit there and try to analyse everything.. I just think it creative and the music is good….
Credit where credit is due..
Great refreshing ad instead of boring junk
Loved this. Great performances.
Just brilliant!
This is the best advertisement commercial for an automotive brand that I have ever witnessed with my very own eyes. It is truly life changing. The advertising agency deserves so much adulation and credit for selling this idea into a very tough client…And if you suspect that I might be just slightly biased, you can suspect to be wrong. Credit to all the very amazing people who made this idea happen. You don’t read this nor comment on the blog, but if you do take note, we love you.
This started in the early 2010’s when Innocean brought out Grandmaster Flash and Melle Mel to do a Kia ad – they actually chalked up twice their fee in indulgence and expenses (nice work) which the agency had to wear – that was funny and cool – and since then Innocean’s creative has come down to whatever “throwback”retro song is currently at the top of someone’s Spotify playlist.
For fuck’s sake, Innocean is OWNED by The Hyundai Group. Yes, the visuals are lavish – a nod to Ben Eagleton and the compositors – and funny in some moments. This is very well executed, but just more of the same, ironic crap. And ironically, the CLAP x 2 /Emoji/LOL/OMG/IMHO (What are you, fucking 12?) crowd will lap it up.
90-odd comments on a stock-standard ad. Must be slow in Adland, Australia?
Can we do it? Can we get to 100 comments?
Yes. Yes we can.
Love it. Lot of fun and refreshing
Great ad, Innocean you’ve done it again.
What a steamer. But I loved reading the agency writing to themselves. Cringe comedy.
So many disapproving / derogatory comments from obviously others companies in the advertising industry who are just cheesed off that they firstly, didn’t get the gig and secondly, they hadn’t even had that idea for a car advert.
As just a ‘dumb’ consumer, I find the advert funny and I don’t mind seeing frequently on tv.
Why, I might even go and have a look at a Santa Fe or one of the other Kia products.
This would have to be one of the most annoying ads on tv. I hate Hyundai now ewww
Actually Mike13 …
A lot of the detractors here are from players who shot BIG productions, on global brands, on FILM (an art unto itself, and something I am sure you kiddies will never see), with real creative and budgets, at agencies who had to win their pitches against other agencies, unlike Innocean – who is owned 100% by the Hyundai Group, who owns every part of the process, from the steel mills, to the assembly lines, to the ships that export them worldwide, down to all the employees at Innocean. A vertical unlike any other Ad Agency IN THE WORLD. We had to win our work, and work fucking hard to keep it.
The kids at Innocean are hard working, yes, have access to vast funds, yes, but that is no guarantee against being bland, corny or just plain un-innovative. So all you little OMG/LOL/WTF kiddies can stare in wonder and marvel at another ironic throwback. And yes, Dream Run is a far superior execution of the same idea, of a far superior auto maker.
And exactly what is the difference… Air Conditioning? I fail to see a Unique Selling Point here. Everyone knows Hyundai’s and Kia’s are crap cars, that’s why they have to dress ’em up and misdirect us with the promise of yet another Vision of Fulfilment and contentment, something you lot stare hopelessly into your iPhones for each day.
And I’d bet my Jaguar that Mike13 works for Innocean, like so many of the praisers… only an employee would associate a Santa Fe with Kia, when in fact is a Hyundai brand
I found this ad totally creepy. Cannot understand why anyone liked it.
Totally creepy, weird ad. How could anyone think it was funny? Doesn’t make you want to buy one that is for sure. I can’t understand why it is consideredchood or clever.
I actually keep my remote near me thanks to this Ad… So the moment I know it’s coming on I change channel. This car maker has definitely taken a step backward
I am like badwolf – cant stand it and change channels as soon as I hear the screaming kids
Horrible. The screeching kids are so grating it pollutes the rest of the ad. The fact it is being shown in every single TV ad break just adds to torment
I like this work. I also like the fact that the creative credits belong solely to Dan and Waz. The other voices in the press release are booming behind a big curtain.
It’s bloody great. Best spot on tele right now.
Are the kids in ad singers
Or someone else sings behind the scenes ???
I suffer from anxiety and depression. For decades I have had this song on a playlist that helped me in challenging times and situations.
Having now been attacked by this ad, at least 40 times every night over the last week, I can no longer find calmness from this song.
Thanks for taking this beautiful song from the many, many people that found it comforting, and using it to torment people.
I find it difficult to sleep at nights. I wonder what the maker’s of this advert use. Probably pillows full of cash.
And why, I have no recollection of what car model or even make this advert represents.
Great ad… really fits the bill for capturing the current climate and demand for escapism into surreal worlds. Love the addition of the mythical rider on the white horse. Very creative. Very talented team.
Love the ad, i think it’s one of Hyundai’s better ads. The kid’s calming with the coldness of the air con because they looked really hot and bothered was a good idea i think.
Enya’s music is a great touch, bloody good advertisement guy’s.
I really hate that Enya song. Sorry, but I have to mute or change the channel every time I this ad comes on. I can only hope it doesn’t run for too long!
This add is so bloody annoying!
When the kids started singing I put down my phone. I really tuned in to this ad and actually remembered the name of the car which I wouldn’t recognise if I saw it on the street tbh. I don’t get it, but I like it. It’s nice to be surprised and intrigued.
It’s awesome… but I want to know the names of the kids in this ad?? And is it their voices or dubbed by other children Everyone else is credited but them.. I own a Santa Fe and I reckon this is brilliant advertising.. exactly what a Santa Fe does!!
The ad is great and one I love seeing which is rare
Seriously I hate this ad so much and am so sick of it . Enya sucks and that family are like children of the dammed but less cool. This ad is torture please STOP !!!
Should have started the ad with a mouldy burger
I’m sorry, but how the hell is this ad getting so much praise? WOW IT’S JUST LIKE DEALING WITH KIDS FIGHTING! Honestly, spare me. If your kids act like that and you just sit there with a defeated grimace on your face you’re a crap parent.
Then you have people harping on about how DARING how INNOVATIVE it is that the scene shifts so dramatically! Wow, it went from fighting to singing! WAOW~
No. Just no. If that’s innovative to you, then you’ve been living in Plato’s Cave.
And frankly, why does every ad devolve into singing or dancing now anyway? Half the time the ad goes the route Innocean took, which is to just be about singing and/or dancing with a product name shoved on at the end. Is this to try and connect with the younger crowd? Well let me tell you as a member of the younger crowd, we use UBlock and stream tv for a reason. But my parents watch the telly a lot and I’m sick to Goddamn death of hearing this ad in EVERY
SINGLE
AD BREAK
That’s the biggest sin. It’s not that it’s an unoriginal ad that relies on flashiness because the product is crap. It’s not the obnoxious children or their pathetic parents who embody the people who inflict their squalling crotch-spawn on anyone unfortunate enough to be in the same public place. It’s not the overplayed song that has already been abused by every salon and spa.
It’s the fact that this ad, this Christing ad, has to be played at every ad break. Sometimes TWICE.
Santa Fe? More like Santa Feck off.
Great talent in acting and singing from the kids
Awards coming hard for this ad! Well done! Amazing work!
Ad cones on- dives across room for remote to change channel- gotta be one of the most annoying, brain dead ads of all time
I love it! Wish I could buy the kids’ version of the whole song.