(August 31, 2018) FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif. — With the 2018 NFL season rapidly approaching, Hyundai has finished preparations for the start of its fourth season as an official NFL sponsor with traditional, digital and experiential marketing designed to enhance the experience for fans. As part of its 2018 season campaign, Hyundai is the new presenting sponsor of NBC’s Sunday Night Football Kickoff show and will have the marquee presence leading into the primetime game each week.

Sunday Night Football has been primetime television’s No. 1 show for an unprecedented seven consecutive seasons, averaging more than 18 million viewers each week last season.

The season gets underway for Hyundai’s NFL marketing program on opening night, as Hyundai is again the presenting sponsor of the 2018 NFL Kickoff Driven by Hyundai. This day-long festival on Thursday, Sept.6. in Philadelphia will celebrate the return of football and honor the Super Bowl LII champions prior to the season opener.

“Everyone at Hyundai is excited for the start of the NFL season and the opportunity to engage with football fans across the country,” said Dean Evans, CMO, Hyundai Motor America. “Our new NBC Sunday Night Football sponsorship is a perfect complement to our overall NFL marketing program and allows us to reach the NFL’s largest broadcast audience each week. Passion is a shared value between the NFL and Hyundai and we plan on showcasing that throughout the season.”

NBC’s Sunday Night Football has the strongest national schedule of games featuring Super Bowl contenders, division rivals and playoff rematches that have helped make it primetime television’s No. 1 show for a record seven consecutive seasons. Hyundai’s presenting sponsorship of the kickoff show will feature numerous branding elements, including logo animations, in-studio logos, a weekly feature, and logo placements on the broadcast’s countdown clock and scoreboard, among others.

“From the best schedule to the best production to the best commentators, Sunday Night Football continues to be the ultimate vehicle for marketers to reach an engaged, passionate audience at scale,” said Dan Lovinger, executive vice president, Advertising Sales, NBC Sports Group.

“We’re excited to welcome Hyundai as the new presenting sponsor of our weekly SNF Kickoff show, and to work with them to build an unparalleled marketing program to reach the largest, avid fan base in sports.”

Hyundai will also sponsor a custom-branded content series, called “Cover 2,” that will provide fans with a closer look at some of the league’s best rivalries. The three-part series will bring together a former player from both teams playing that night, who will discuss aspects of the rivalry that make it special to them, the fans and the teams, while driving around the home-team city in a Hyundai Santa Fe.

The videos will run during three of this year’s best matchups (Ravens at the Steelers, Sept. 30; Rams at 49ers, Oct. 21; Packers at Vikings, Nov. 25). A 30-second version of each video will air during the broadcast and fans will be directed to HyundaiUSA.com to watch the completed piece. INNOCEAN is developing the creative for Hyundai’s Sunday Night Football sponsorship.