Houston and Poland Joined For Super Bowl Troops Commercial

How Hyundai Pulled Off An Unexpected Reunion Of U.S. Troops And Their Families In Super Bowl 2017
FORBES
Jennifer Rooney
February 5, 2017

One of the more anticipated ads of the 2017 Super Bowl was from Hyundai Motor America, a surprise held until the very end of the game—for the fans but also for the soldiers at U.S. Military Base in Zagan, Poland.

Using satellite technology, 360-degree immersive pods and the filmmaking direction of Peter Berg, Hyundai, an official sponsor of the NFL, filmed what it refers to as a Super Bowl documentary as part of its Operation Better. It showed the soldiers experiencing a kind of virtual reality: that they were in Houston watching the Big Game live in a suite on site. But the shocker at the end and shown live just after the game was when it was revealed that—in a twist on the classic soldier-surprises-family—their loved ones were in the suite to surprise them.

Agency partner Innocean Worldwide Americas helped create the 90-second spot—Hyundai bought all three 30-second slots that immediately follow the confetti drop. Footage from Houston and Poland was edited and produced in a production trailer outside the stadium during the game. Soldiers in the documentary include Corporal Trista Strauch, Specialist Erik Guerrero and Sergeant Richard Morrill.

The ad Super Bowl night followed two teasers featuring Pro Football Hall of Famers Joe Montana and Mike Singletary discussing the value of teamwork and courage, especially as it relates to our troops.

The effort ties to Hyundai’s overarching goal of supporting the U.S. Armed Forces through its special discounts and incentive programs for military personnel.
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