Hyundai’s Terrible Ad

In 2013, Hyundai created a commercial in the United Kingdom to flaunt their new IX35 crossover vehicle. The “special” ability this car displayed was how it did not produce a harmful exhaust. Instead of the typical carbon monoxide emission, this car generated 100% water emissions. The “brilliant” Hyundai marketing team thought of a highly inappropriate commercial for their product. Yes, instead of a normal car commercial panning over a car driving with an attractive actor and beautiful scenery, Hyundai portrayed a suicide attempt. You can tell they tried to be comedic with the ad; however, attempted suicide is anything but that.  

The commercial begins with a man taping a hose from his exhaust pipe into the window. The man then gets into the driver’s side of the sedan and starts the car with his garage door closed. The camera then pans to the outside of the house while the man opens the garage door. They show the man frustrated, because he had an unsuccessful suicide attempt due to the 100% water emissions. 

I want to know what the marketing team was thinking creating a commercial on such a sensitive topic. They had to have known the immense backlash by viewers, especially the viewers who are suffering with suicidal thoughts. They completely missed the point in producing an enjoyable advertisement to sell their product. This car campaign rekindled the devastation and heartbreak for people who lost a loved one due to suicide. In fact, one angry viewer mailed Hyundai a letter stating how she had an extreme emotional breakdown after viewing the commercial. She then continues saying how her father had committed suicide the same way and ended the letter saying, “My dad never drove a Hyundai. Thanks to you, neither will I.”  

I find it unfathomable that anyone thought it would be acceptable to create an advertisement this grotesque. The fact that it got approved to air on television blows my mind. Hyundai deserved all the negative responses after producing such an inappropriate commercial.