Hyundai has unveiled a new U.S. marketing campaign ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, leveraging its role as the tournament’s Official Mobility Partner to connect its next-generation technologies with the emerging stars of global football.
The campaign, titled “Next Starts Now,” aims to highlight the parallels between Hyundai’s technological innovation and the rise of the next generation of football talent. The initiative comes at a critical time for the automotive industry, which continues to navigate challenges including inflationary pressures, high interest rates, and rising fuel costs.
According to Sean Gilpin, Chief Marketing Officer of Hyundai Motor America, the campaign represents one of the company’s most comprehensive marketing efforts to date.
“We have so much activity surrounding this campaign because when you invest at the level required to be a global partner, you need strong activation to maximize the value of that partnership,” Gilpin said.
At the center of the campaign is a 60-second hero film featuring five promising football players from different parts of the world alongside Atlas, the humanoid robot developed by Boston Dynamics, a robotics company owned by Hyundai Motor Group.
Two additional 30-second versions of the advertisement are scheduled to debut during FIFA World Cup programming on June 11, the tournament’s opening day.
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The hero film will serve as the foundation for a broader multi-channel marketing strategy spanning television, digital platforms, social media, experiential activations, and retail environments. Hyundai’s 360-degree campaign also includes streaming advertisements, influencer collaborations, outdoor advertising, social content, and live fan experiences.
The U.S. activation builds on Hyundai’s global “Next Starts Now” campaign launched in April. As part of the worldwide initiative, the automaker appointed South Korean football icon and national team captain Son Heung-min as a brand ambassador.
Further expanding the campaign’s reach, Hyundai recently introduced a social media film series featuring the Atlas robot as it learns to play football, reinforcing the company’s commitment to innovation, technology, and the future of mobility.
Through the campaign, Hyundai seeks to strengthen engagement with younger consumers while showcasing its evolving technological capabilities on one of the world’s largest sporting stages
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