Hyundai MotorStudio Digital: An Interactive Brand Experience

Very cool. 

In 2014, I visited the Hyundai MotorStudio, an impressive five story building at a major intersection in Seoul’s style and fashion Gangnam district. The MotorStudio differs from the local competition in that the purpose of the showroom is not to sell you a car but rather to share the Hyundai’s brand direction of “modern premium”.  I have come to understand this to be a set of values less about luxury cars and more about striving to go beyond what customers expect in merging performance with reasonable pricing and fluid style.

While in Seoul last week, I came upon the new HyundaiStudio Digital in the COEX Mall complex.  My timing could not have been better since after my day of meetings and media interviews, including visiting the Hyundai Motor Company global HQ, I was able to attend the Grand Opening of the HyundaiStudio Digital experience. 

Targeting Seoul’s younger generation, the Studio shares the car brand through a mix of lecture and interactive technology—touch screens and 3D headsets. Interestingly, the lecture’s focus was the impact of digital technology across society versus pitching the car brand. I see this as a smart approach with studies showing the need to tailor sales marketing to Millennial and the current generation, the Digital center refers to as Homeland Gen 2005.

I expect to see more of these HyundaiStudio Design experiences launched in other high foot traffic Hyundai markets globally. 

Questions, Comments, Thoughts? 

About the author

Don Southerton has a life-long interest in Korea and the rich culture of the country. He has authored numerous publications with topics centering on culture, new urbanism, entrepreneurialism and early U.S.-Korean business ventures. Southerton also extensively lectures and writes and comments on modern Korean business culture and its impact on global organizations. He is a frequent contributor to the media (WSJ, Forbes, CNN Fortune, Bloomberg, Automotive News, Korea Times, Korea Herald, Yonhap, Korea Magazine, and FSR) on Korea facing business and culture. He heads Bridging Culture Worldwide a Golden, Colorado based company that provides strategy, consulting and training to Korea-based global business including the Hyundai Motor Group. An avid martial artist, Southerton has pursued the practice and study of Korean traditional arts for more than forty years.

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