Hyundai Motor Wins Two Cannes Lions Awards Including Grand Prix for Second Consecutive Year
- Hyundai Motor Company
- 2026.06.30 (KST)
- 분량9min
- 조회수 95Views
- Hyundai Motor Company earned two Cannes Lions awards, highlighting its world-class creative capabilities and commitment to human-centric innovation
- “Coquí Alarmed” campaign wins Grand Prix for transforming a vehicle alarm sound into a powerful expression of cultural identity and conservation
- “Forests Without Names” campaign wins Bronze Lion for transforming invisible marine ecosystem degradation into a tangible, actionable conservation movement
SEOUL, June 30, 2026 – Hyundai Motor Company won Grand Prix and Bronze Lion awards at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2026, marking the second consecutive year of recognition.
The “Coquí Alarmed” and “Forests Without Names” campaigns were lauded, underscoring that the brand’s creative excellence is not a one-time milestone, but a sustained, globally recognized standard.
Following its significant success at the 2025 Cannes Lions — where it earned the Grand Prix award for “Night Fishing” and Gold and Silver Lions for “Tree Correspondent” — Hyundai Motor has continued its creative momentum. The company’s innovative campaigns spanning cultural storytelling and corporate social responsibility (CSR) demonstrate sustained leadership within the global advertising and creative industry.
How Did the ‘Coquí Alarmed’ Campaign Turn a Car Feature Into a Cultural Symbol?
Hyundai Puerto Rico won the Grand Prix in the Audio & Radio category for the “Coquí Alarmed” campaign. The initiative was sparked by a viral moment in 2025 when a tourist complained about the song of Puerto Rico’s native coquí frog, prompting the local population to unite in defense of the island’s emblematic sound and cultural symbol.
In a creative celebration of the island’s heritage, Hyundai Motor replaced the standard factory alarm sound of rental vehicles with the distinctive croaking of the coquí. This resonated so strongly with customers that they began demanding the modification for their personal vehicles as well, transforming a defensive cultural response into an active, participatory movement.
By replacing a routine automotive feature with an iconic island sound, Hyundai Motor turned every modified vehicle into an ambassador for Puerto Rican identity and pride. Beyond this cultural achievement, the campaign also advanced species conservation, raising awareness about the coquí's ecological significance and the urgent need for preservation — of the 14 existing coquí species, three are already at risk of extinction.
The official video can be seen on Hyundai Puerto Rico’s official Instagram profile through this link.
How Does ‘Forests Without Names’ Align with the Group’s CSR Initiatives?
The “Forests Without Names” campaign — winner of the Bronze Lion in the Creative Data category — highlights the plight of sea forests[1] , which are crucial marine ecosystems that lack legal and institutional protection. By naming and placing these underwater habitats on the map, the campaign raises awareness of their ecological value and transforms an invisible environmental issue into an emotionally resonant narrative.
After securing official designation and policy-level recognition for Korea’s sea forests, the company expanded the initiative globally. Partnering with local NGOs and communities in Argentina and Australia, the company identified and named sea forests in each region.
Building on this, the company developed the Global Sea Forest Map by consolidating fragmented data from various international marine conservation NGOs and scientific organizations into a single, integrated platform. This map utilizes satellite-based distribution data, protected area designations, and marine environmental parameters (water temperature, depth and salinity) to document newly named forests.
This comprehensive dataset, which facilitates a multidimensional understanding of global marine forest conditions and has been officially transferred to a global collaborative network dedicated to marine ecosystem research and conservation, supporting ongoing preservation efforts.
By establishing sea forest conservation as a prominent public agenda, the campaign has transcended simple message delivery to drive concrete, sustained action. In addition to its Bronze win, the campaign secured finalist status across five other Cannes Lions sectors — including Design and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — capturing the attention of the global advertising industry.
Hyundai Motor’s Winning Campaigns Overview
| Campaign Title | Core Strategy | Category / Award |
|---|---|---|
| “Coquí Alarmed” | Cultural Storytelling: Transforming a routine vehicle lock sound into a powerful statement of cultural identity and conservation | Category: Audio & Radio Award: Grand Prix |
| “Forests Without Names” | CSR / Marine Ecosystems: Raising awareness for unprotected sea forests by officially naming them, transforming an invisible marine issue into an actionable conservation movement. | Category: Creative Data Award: Bronze Lion |
In addition to Hyundai Motor Company’s wins, Hyundai Motor Group was also recognized with the Bronze Lion in the Design Lions: Use of Emerging Technology category for “Vision Pulse.”
[1] Sea Forests: Marine ecosystems formed by thriving seaweed in coastal waters, characterized by high carbon sequestration potential and diverse ecological functions, such as enhancing fishery resources, providing habitats for marine biodiversity, and purifying pollutants.
