Even robots from the future want the new Hyundai

In the impressive, FX-laden film above, robots from the future travel back in time not to murder Sarah Connor, but to take possession of an SUV so futuristic that it doesn't seem to belong in 2021.

'Tomorrow wants its car back', claims the ad from Innocean Australia, which marks the launch of the 2021 Hyundai Tucson in that market.

The brand considers the new Tucson part of a "step change" in innovation and visual appeal, and hopes to encourage people to reappraise the brand. Thus we get a squad of clever robots who ooh and aah over the vehicle—before absconding with it through some sort of time portal.

The campaign launched in phases, which allowed flexibilty during a time when the actual launch date was uncertain due to product-supply issues stemming from the pandemic, according to the agency. First, unexplained robots and glitches appeared in digital display ads, and robot references (such as glowing eyes hiding in the trees) showed up in CRM communications. A suspense-building pre-launch TVC (below) then dropped additional hints, such as "glimpses of an unexplained object in a Tucson driver’s blind-spot monitor" and more glowing eyes.

The launch campaign includes social media, a radio ad that adds more backstory about the robot mission to 'recover' the Tucson, digital, out-of-home (see below) and CRM. In later stages, the bots will "stalk Hyundai’s own channels and media to threaten would-be owners and reclaim what they believe is rightfully theirs", the agency reports.

Ad Nut loves the concept here, and greatly admires the economy of the 'Tomorrow wants its car back' tagline that encapsultes it. And the whole package of elements is a whole lot of fun. Ad Nut especially appreciates the character design of the robots, which are clearly inspired by the frighteningly capable bots coming out of Boston Dynamics in recent years, but nonetheless have gestures and expressions that allow us to understand they're impressed by the car. Ad Nut also loves the shot reproduced below, which seems in its visual style to allude to Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

CREDITS

HYUNDAI
Director of Marketing: Kevin Goult
Senior Marketing Managers: Helen Gilmartin, Nick Cook
Product Marketing Specialist: Lisa Yau

INNOCEAN AUSTRALIA
Executive Creative Director: Wes Hawes
Creative Director: Dan O’Connell
Creative Team: Mitchell Sutton and Josh Campbell
Head of Strategy: Karl Bates
Head of CX: Romy Briers
Client Partner: Ian Hartley
Senior Account Director: Vincent Pled
Account Director: Sarah Gardan
Director of Integrated Production: Craig Sloane
Integrated Producer: Louis Moore
Senior Integrated Producer: Warrick Nicholson
Finished art/Design: Juliana Bacmaga
Digital Production: Wellcom

FILM PRODUCTION
Production Company - Scoundrel & MJZ
Director - Michael Spiccia
Executive Producer - Adrian Shapiro
Executive Producer - Kate Gooden
DOP - Ross Giardina
Casting - Mullinars Casting
Edit - Jack Hutchings, The Editors
Post Production - Fin Design & Effects
VFX Supervisor - Justin Bromley
Head of Visual Effects / EP - Alastair Stephen
CG Supervisor - Simon Clarke
Flame Artist - Alex Patterson
VFX Producer - Isabelle Howarth
Colourist - Ben Eagleton
Sound Design & Mix - Squeak E. Clean Studios
Creative Director / Sound Designer - Simon Lister
Head of Production - Emma Hodge
Music House - Turning Studios
Composer - Elliott Wheeler
Music Producer - Carla de Menezes Ribeiro

STILLS PRODUCTION
Production company: Photoplay
Photographer: Michael Corridore
CGI Tucson Car build and comping of Robots: Cream Electric Art
CGI Robots: Fin Design & Effects
360 HDRI Dome + Environment Backplate: BearStock

MEDIA
Hearts and Science

Ad Nut is a surprisingly literate woodland creature that for unknown reasons has an unhealthy obsession with advertising. Ad Nut gathers ads from all over Asia and the world for your viewing pleasure, because Ad Nut loves you. You can also check out Ad Nut's Advertising Hall of Fame, or read about Ad Nut's strange obsession with 'murderous beasts'.