Some Hyundai dealers had questioned the impact of the league sponsorship throughout the yearsGETTY IMAGES
Hyundai "isn't striking a new sponsorship deal with the NFL when its four-year partnership ends after this season, clearing the way for another automaker to take the mantle," according to Vince Bond Jr. of AUTOMOTIVE NEWS. Hyundai Motor America CMO Dean Evans made it clear that NFL programming will still be a "key piece of its marketing strategy going forward." Some dealers "questioned the effectiveness of the sponsorship over the years because it didn't offer much direct advertising exposure during NFL games on mainstream networks." While Hyundai "carried the official vehicle and SUV moniker, and Genesis was the official luxury vehicle, rival brands such as Ford and Toyota still filled the airwaves on game days." Ford is the NFL's "official truck sponsor, GMC is a 'Monday Night Football' sponsor, and Toyota had sponsored the Monday night halftime show before Genesis took over the slot this season." Toyota continues to "sponsor the 'Sunday Night Football' halftime show on NBC in addition to the 'Thursday Night Football' halftime show on Fox." Hyundai had "tweaked its game plan by taking a more aggressive stance on game days this season," highlighted by its pregame sponsorship of "SNF." Evans said that Hyundai has "drawn more consumers who are NFL fans into showrooms because of the league partnership." For this year's Super Bowl, Hyundai said that it will "engage with fans celebrating in Atlanta" as the presenting sponsor of the Super Bowl Experience Driven by Hyundai (AUTONEWS.com, 1/15). Hyundai will still run a 60-second spot in the first quarter of Super Bowl LIII (THE DAILY).
