Hyundai & INNOCEAN USA Launch "The Walking Dead Chop Shop"

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif., Aug. 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- INNOCEAN USA, a full-service advertising agency headquartered in Huntington Beach, Calif., announces today the launch of "The Walking Dead Chop Shop," which first debuted at Comic-Con International: San Diego 2013. The initiative, presented by Hyundai, was created in partnership with Future US, a leading digital media and content marketing group, and Skybound, Robert Kirkman's imprint at Image Comics.

Building on the success of the 2012 'Hyundai Undead' marketing campaign for the 2013 Elantra Coupe, the initiative gives The Walking Dead fans the opportunity to outfit their own zombie survival machine through an interactive app and accompanying website: walkingdeadchopshop.com. The program also allows fans to enter their designs into a contest over the coming months and the winning design, selected by Kirkman, will be built into a real car that Kirkman will unveil at New York Comic-Con in October 2013.

"Following the 2012 'Hyundai Undead' campaign, in which Kirkman outfitted a Hyundai Elantra Coupe as a zombie survival machine, there was a phenomenal response on social media. We noticed that fans of the show were challenging Kirkman's design and discussing how they would create their own," said Greg Braun, Executive Creative Director at INNOCEAN USA. "'The Walking Dead Chop Shop' gives fans this opportunity, putting them in the drivers' seat with an initiative that is true to the comic book series' narrative."

"The Walking Dead Chop Shop" is not only inspired by the comic book series. Hyundai and INNOCEAN USA worked closely with Kirkman, Skybound and Galpin Auto Sports to ensure that every campaign element is true to both the world of The Walking Dead and the real world. This ranged from creating car parts for the app that can realistically be manufactured to working with the comic book artists to develop designs that look like they are straight out of the comic books themselves.

Here's how it works. Fans start by choosing a Hyundai vehicle – an Elantra, Veloster Turbo or Santa Fe – then add armor, survival accessories and designs from a wide range of options, including nearly 300 different car parts and custom graphic decals created in collaboration with Kirkman and comic book artists at Skybound. Users are then able to share their creations with friends, get a survival score and test the vehicles out in scenarios inspired by the comic books. Plus, they can enter them into the ultimate contest: to see which Robert Kirkman deems best built to withstand the rigors of the coming zombie apocalypse.

"Based on the success of the 2012 'Hyundai Undead' campaign, we wanted to further implant Hyundai within the world of The Walking Dead and into the hearts of its largely millennial fan base," said Steve Shannon, vice president, Marketing, Hyundai Motor America. "We wanted to push the limits of branded content integration even further and create an initiative that is authentic to the phenomenal The Walking Dead legacy."

Hyundai, with INNOCEAN USA, is driving buzz around the "The Walking Dead Chop Shop" through a multi-pronged advertising campaign this summer. In addition to an on-site activation at Comic-Con International: San Diego 2013, the campaign includes radio buys in key markets, high-impact media and digital video across pop-culture sites, and engagement of the powerful The Walking Dead fan base through social media. Custom illustrations created in collaboration with Skybound comic artists are running in The Walking Dead comic books. A suite of complementary advertising will launch this fall to coincide with the premiere of the fourth season of The Walking Dead, as well as some more surprises for fans everywhere.

"The Walking Dead Chop Shop" app is available for iPhone and iPad and it can be downloaded from iTunes. Additionally, it will be available for Android phones soon. Visit walkingdeadchopshop.com and thewalkingdead.com for more information.

About INNOCEAN USA
Founded in 2009, INNOCEAN USA is headquartered in Huntington Beach, California, with offices in New York, Chicago, Hawaii and Dallas. INNOCEAN USA currently serves as Hyundai Motor America's lead agency as well as Kia Motors America's media and promotions agency.

SOURCE INNOCEAN USA