Hyundai Grabs Ad Slot Right Before Super Bowl Kickoff

Hyundai plans to advertise during Super Bowl XLVI, but the automaker is also doubling down on the power of a commercial played just before the game begins.

Hyundai will run a 60-second ad just before kickoff on Feb. 5 on NBC, Steve Shannon, VP-marketing at Hyundai Motor America, said in an interview. Hyundai Motor Co. has run ads in that slot in the past few years, but none as long as 60 seconds, he said.

The extra time ensures that Hyundai has “these clear seconds just before the game starts,” said Mr. Shannon. He promised that the ad would be “anthemic.”

Hyundai will also run two 30-second spots during the game, one in the first quarter and one in the fourth quarter, but capturing the “pre-kick” spot means the advertiser will get the eyes of Super Bowl viewers who have seen all the pregame coverage and are primed for the start of the annual classic. Ads during the game can get lost in the action of the event, Mr. Shannon suggested, but the pre-kick moment offers clarity and is thus worth a 60-second berth.