Q] Hyundai has come on board as the ICC’s Premier Partner. Why was this the right moment to enter the partnership, and what consumer opportunity are you aiming to tap into?
Hyundai has come on board globally as the ICC’s premier partner under a new partnership deal for 2026 and 2027, signed in December 2025. Sports have always been a strong focus for Hyundai worldwide, with long-standing associations such as FIFA, driven by our belief in the aspirational power of sport. Cricket, with over 2.5 billion followers worldwide and deep cultural roots in India as well as key markets like Australia and England, presented a natural and strategic opportunity for the brand. The objective was to partner with a collaborative team sport that resonates deeply in key markets, particularly India and the subcontinent, where shared passions and cultural relevance are central.
This led Hyundai Motor to enter into a two-year partnership with the ICC. With our first tournament, the T20 World Cup in India, we have rolled out a comprehensive plan to engage multiple stakeholders and deepen brand affinity in India and other priority markets.
Q] Sports partnerships today go beyond logo visibility to deeper fan engagement. What consumer shifts are driving this change, and how is Hyundai measuring the impact of this partnership from a business and marketing lens?
You’re right. Sports associations earlier focused mainly on reach, and while that remains important, consumer behaviour has clearly shifted towards experiences. In India, engagement today is driven by shared moments rather than passive exposure. Keeping this in mind, Hyundai has launched a 360-degree program. Along with logo integration for scale, the partnership enables deeper engagement across CTV households through a strategic partner. We are also activating the association across 600+ dealerships, running radio campaigns, executing initiatives like the Trophy Connect program in malls, and driving social media participation. The focus is on creating a comprehensive experience. This is also reflected in our Shah Rukh Khan campaign that encourages people to live the sport in everyday settings.
From a measurement standpoint, over around two and a half months, we are tracking KPIs across the full funnel, from top-funnel metrics and website interactions to test drives and social media sentiment. While reach and engagement remain critical, the partnership is also designed to drive dealership impact and business momentum between early January and mid-March.
Q] Shah Rukh Khan has been associated with Hyundai for a long time. Why did you choose him for this campaign instead of a cricketer?
Shah Rukh Khan has been Hyundai’s corporate brand ambassador for over two and a half decades and represents the core Hyundai brand. While he is closely associated with cricket, the intent of this campaign was not to portray a cricketer in a different role. The idea is captured in the line ‘Yeh dil deewana, deewana yeh dil,’ celebrating people who live the sport as fans. Shah Rukh Khan appears as a passionate follower of the game, expressing the emotion of watching and experiencing cricket rather than playing it, which is why we chose not to feature a cricketer in this campaign.
This thought shaped the film and static creatives, developed by our in-house agency Innocean and directed by Vasan Bala, with creative inputs from Shah Rukh Khan. The use of a track from one of his older films, sourced from TIPS, adds to the emotional impact and helps the campaign stand out from typical cricketer-led narratives. While we will feature brand ambassadors Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues over the coming year, this campaign is designed to spotlight the emotion of fandom, with Shah Rukh Khan leading it as someone who truly lives the sport.
Q] How does contextual advertising fit into your 360-degree approach, and what sets it apart from traditional formats?
We are partnering with a connected TV and video MarTech company, to deliver ads in real time based on key moments during live matches. Moments of high excitement, such as a half-century, an India win, or the longest six, are identified contextually by the tool. For viewers not watching the match live and browsing other OTT platforms, the ad is dynamically created and served around the same moment. While the match streams on JioStar, these predefined moments are captured, the creative is built in real time, and delivered across other OTT platforms. This allows us to extend the emotion of the game beyond live viewers. This is a first for both the category and the industry, and marks our first use of this tool, bringing greater immediacy and contextual relevance to live sports engagement.
Q] With Hyundai investing across social, CTV, and TV as part of its UGC-led digital strategy, how do these platforms compare in terms of effectiveness and audience relevance for the brand?
Social media works very strongly for us. Across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, we have one of the largest fan bases in the auto category, driven largely by short-form content and high engagement. This campaign also marks our biggest connected TV partnership so far. With around 60 to 65 million CTV households in India, this audience closely aligns with our car-buying target group, and we are activating it at scale for the first time. While CTV and TV are growing in importance, digital and social platforms have remained the most dominant for us in recent years.
Q] How is this campaign being activated at the showroom level, and what role does retail-led marketing play in bringing the partnership to life?
There is strong excitement across our showrooms, and we saw this as a critical part of the campaign. Our dealership network is one of Hyundai’s biggest strengths in India, and that pride is visible across locations. Showrooms nationwide feature ICC and cricket-themed setups with the lead car on display, supported by active customer engagement and test drive initiatives. The car also carries a specially curated ICC kit, creating a co-branded presence and ensuring the partnership is as strong at retail as it is on-air or on-ground. We are already seeing positive momentum. Retail-led activation is fundamental for us. While discovery happens largely online, decisions are made at the dealership, making consistency between digital communication and the in-store experience essential for a partnership of this scale.
Q] As consumer expectations and media consumption continue to evolve, what can we expect from Hyundai’s marketing approach over the next year, both in terms of brand communication and partnerships?
The ICC partnership is our current focus and is expected to be our biggest association heading into 2026. Alongside this, we will continue to deliver impactful work around key festivals and product launches. Our approach is rooted in closely tracking how buyers and influencers consume media, and choosing the right moments and formats, from six-second assets to longer films, based on where consumers are in their journey. Hyundai will remain one of the most active advertisers in the country. While this is one of our largest campaigns in recent times, we will continue to evolve our content and partnerships, bringing something new every quarter.
PROFILE
With a professional tenure of over two decades, Virat Khullar has had a dynamic exposure in the Indian automobile industry. Over the course of his 20+ impressive years in the industry, Virat has lent his expertise to renowned entities such as Renault India, TATA Motors, Maruti Suzuki India Limited, and currently holds the position of Head of Marketing at Hyundai Motor India Limited. His multifaceted exposure spans across diverse verticals, including Marketing, Brand and Product Management, and Sales Operations.
ABOUT THE BRAND
Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL), a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company (HMC) is one of India’s leading automobile manufacturers. In line with HMC’s global brand vision of ‘Progress for Humanity’, the company adopts sustainable and green manufacturing operations. HMIL operates with a network of 1,366 sales points and 1,550 service points across India with 2 manufacturing plants. It also forms a critical part of HMC’s global export hub with exports spanning across Africa, the Middle East, and other countries including Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka.
FACTS
Creative Agency: Innocean India
Media Agency: Havas Media India
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