Hyundai Has Announced a Change In Its Brand Name Pronunciation
The South Korean manufacturer, Hyundai, has commissioned research in the United Kingdom on individuals’ ability to pronounce words.
The study was assigned after Hyundai changed its brand’s pronunciation in the UK.
According to the research, 73% of British individuals felt they have a good understanding of the English language. However, around half (47%) admitted often checking the pronunciation of a word online to ensure that it is correct.
Also, based on the study, words such as ‘probably’, ‘cache’, ‘quinoa’ and ‘parliament’ were among the top 25 words that are being mispronounced. Different areas within the UK found specific words more difficult to pronounce. An example of this is the word ‘quinoa’ that was found hard to say in the West Midlands.
The survey also found that 51% of the men thought that modifying the words to be more straightforward makes them easier to pronounce, whereas over half of the women (51%) said they always check the correct pronunciation from search engines.
It was also considered inappropriate to correct a friend's or colleague's pronunciation, even if it is incorrect.
It’s Hyundai, by the way.
The manufacturer has decided to change the brand’s pronunciation from the anglicised pronunciation of ‘Hy-un-dai’ to ‘Hyun-day’, which is the global pronunciation of the brand.
Hyundai has updated its brand a great deal in recent years, bringing the global pronunciation of Hyundai to the UK. The official ‘Hyun-day’ pronunciation also reflects the Korean heritage highlighting a vital part of the manufacturer’s identity.
The change was released along with a fun multi-channel advertising campaign, shown on television, radio, online and on-demand services. The advert presents a potential car buyer searching for the brand with the voice command of their phone. Confused, the buyer ends up in front of a hair salon called ‘High ‘N’ Dye’ as well as an optician called ‘Highland Eye’.
Hyundai also created a website in support of the campaign called ‘High ‘N’ Dye’, including imaginary hair styling offers. The page also displays a humorous text: “Not the cutting-edge style you were after? Try this one.” and an image of a Hyundai car as well as a link to the manufacturer’s website.
The campaign includes the message: “if you thought you knew our cars and how to say our name, maybe it’s time to think again.” Indeed, the campaign aims to educate the consumers in the UK about the correct new pronunciation of the brand name and entertain.
Hyundai Motor UK Managing Director, Ashley Andrew, commented:
“Hyundai is a young, innovative and progressive brand which has transformed with great speed. We are proudly Korean with real character and purpose. With this campaign, we want to inject a little humour and personality to our brand, which we hope will encourage more people to learn more about Hyundai.”
The manufacturer aims to change consumers' perceptions of the brand, highlighting the new era. Customers are urged to shift their focus to the brand’s latest innovations and designs and be the leading force in sustainable driving. Undeniably, the award-winning range of Hyundai showcases notable progress in electrification.
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