Hyundai’s Funny Super Bowl Ad Promotes Tesla-Style Driverless Parking
John Krasinski, Chris Evans, Rachel Dratch, and Big Papi all play roles.
Kelly LinWriter
Hyundai’s Funny Super Bowl Ad Promotes Tesla-Style Driverless Parking
John Krasinski, Chris Evans, Rachel Dratch, and Big Papi all play roles.
Kelly LinWriter
Normally, any ad promoting something called Remote Smart Parking Assist would be a snooze. But when Boston celebrities John Krasinski, Rachel Dratch, Chris Evans, and David Ortiz band together to promote "Smaht Pahk," you get Hyundai's funny Super Bowl commercial.
Parking in Boston is no easy feat, and Evans and Dratch don't think Krasinski can fit his 2020 Sonata into a tiny space. But he isn't fazed, getting out of the car and activating Hyundai's self-parking feature. The actors, in their best Bostonian accents, talk about all the places in Boston you can use "Smaht Park," with Ortiz entering into the conversation from an surprising spot. As another nod to Boston, the song "Dirty Water" by the Standells plays near the end of the ad.
Hyundai was looking for a catchier way to talk about its new technology. "Remote Smart Parking Assist was difficult to say and remember, but a truncated 'Smaht Pahk' caught on when one of our creatives said it in a Boston accent," Angela Zepeda, chief marketing officer of Hyundai Motor America, said in a statement. Available on Hyundai's Sonata and Nexo vehicles, the parking feature allows the car to park itself without the driver needing to be inside the vehicle. Drivers can also use the tech to back the car out of a parking spot. All you have to do is push a button on the key fob.
Hyundai's Super Bowl commercial will air in the first quarter of the Big Game, and you can watch the rest of this year's car-related spots from Super Bowl LIV right here.
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When I tell people I write about cars, the most common reply I receive is “Really?” I guess I never strike people as a car type as I drive down the freeway in the right lane going 60 mph in my old SUV. My gripes about driving in city traffic and fast drivers don’t help my case, either. For a time, the only cars I liked were old cars. Not old as in "classic" or "vintage," but as in well-worn. My first appreciation of cars came when I drove a very old Ford pickup. It wasn't perfect: I used a booster seat to reach the gas pedal, and the turn signal once fell off in my hand as I was learning to drive. But the thing I valued most was the memories. It took several years for me to truly become a "car person." Being a long-time writer and an avid reader has helped me develop a healthy curiosity and a desire to know how things work. This has made cars one of the most fascinating points of study for me because they are such intricate machines. I am interested in how cars can reach 200 mph, how they can run on hydrogen, and how they can drive and park on their own. I also enjoy learning how cars can solve problems whether it be in the form of reducing pollution, minimizing traffic, or helping people stay connected on the road. Yes, maybe I’m not a gearhead. Perhaps I’m a car nerd. Either way, I very much enjoy writing about cars and helping people stay in tune with the automotive industry. I wouldn't want to be writing about anything else. And don’t get me wrong: I know how to drool over a hot car. I am fascinated by the Tesla Model S, awed by the Lamborghini Veneno, and am hopelessly obsessed with the Audi R8.
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When I tell people I write about cars, the most common reply I receive is “Really?” I guess I never strike people as a car type as I drive down the freeway in the right lane going 60 mph in my old SUV. My gripes about driving in city traffic and fast drivers don’t help my case, either. For a time, the only cars I liked were old cars. Not old as in "classic" or "vintage," but as in well-worn. My first appreciation of cars came when I drove a very old Ford pickup. It wasn't perfect: I used a booster seat to reach the gas pedal, and the turn signal once fell off in my hand as I was learning to drive. But the thing I valued most was the memories. It took several years for me to truly become a "car person." Being a long-time writer and an avid reader has helped me develop a healthy curiosity and a desire to know how things work. This has made cars one of the most fascinating points of study for me because they are such intricate machines. I am interested in how cars can reach 200 mph, how they can run on hydrogen, and how they can drive and park on their own. I also enjoy learning how cars can solve problems whether it be in the form of reducing pollution, minimizing traffic, or helping people stay connected on the road. Yes, maybe I’m not a gearhead. Perhaps I’m a car nerd. Either way, I very much enjoy writing about cars and helping people stay in tune with the automotive industry. I wouldn't want to be writing about anything else. And don’t get me wrong: I know how to drool over a hot car. I am fascinated by the Tesla Model S, awed by the Lamborghini Veneno, and am hopelessly obsessed with the Audi R8.
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