Academy Awards

Academy Awards often an homage to new, vintage cars

Perhaps only second to the theme of love, cars are nearly an inescapable part of movies. Among this year’s Best Picture nominations in the upcoming Academy Awards extravaganza, vintage and futuristic vehicles are prominent in Mad Max: Fury Road, Brooklyn and Bridge of Spies. But while prominent, cars aren’t the stars of any of this season’s top films set for the spotlight in the 88th edition Academy Awards on Feb. 28. Still, cars are often presented in starring roles. In many instances, the vehicles used in iconic Academy Awards films through the years are as famous the actors and actresses who’ve drove them in anger and in sheer joy. Cars Often Shine In Academy Awards Movies Cars, in fact, are

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Academy Awards: Mercedes-Benz joins Hyundai, debuts new hybrid commercial

Mercedes-Benz will join Hyundai during the 82nd annual Academy Awards as carmakers debuting commercials for new 2012 models. In the instance of Mercedes-Benz, the debut will be showcased in a 30-second spot call "Tree of Innovation" and it will be for the S400 HYBRID. The commercial also showcases the company's expanding repertoire of environmentally oriented vehicles. The ad is the first to feature the new "voice" for Mercedes-Benz advertising, Jon Hamm, the Golden Globe winning star of the TV series Mad Men. Hyundai is debuting two 30-second spots for the 2012 Azera. Jeff Bridges, the Academy Award winning actor, is the voice of Hyundai. James RaiaA sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the

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Hyundai Azera, 2012: Modern family showcases car's comfort in Academy Awards spot

In the second of the new 2012 Hyundai Azera commercials set for broadcast Feb. 26 during the Academy, the comforts of the car's interior are "examined" — from the owner's driveway. It's called Modern Life, and shows the husband of the family working in a frantic pace in the kitchen while his wife is relaxing in their new Azera in the driveway. The husband doesn't know his wife is the driveway, however. According to the carmaker, " the Hyundai Azera's interior surrounds you with an array of sumptuous amenities such as front and rear heated seats, ventilated power front seats with an adjustable driver seat cushion extension, ambient lighting system, available premium Infinity or Dimension audio systems and HD Radio

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Academy Awards: Hyundai takes starring role again at Oscars (video)

Hyundai, the automotive car sponsor for the Academy Awards for the fourth straight year, will have nine commercials broadcast during the Feb. 26 coverage of the Oscars on ABC. The Hyundai spots will include two pre-show ads and seven commercials during the telecast. Two of the commercials, directed by filmmaker Wes Anderson, will feature the new 2012 Hyundai Azera. The new Azera is expected to arrive at dealerships soon. The spots, “Modern Life” and “Talk to My Car,” focus on the car’s high-end features and connectivity system called Blue Link. Both commercials are reminiscent of Anderson’s movies including “Rushmore” and ”The Royal Tenenbaums.” The rest of Hyundai’s 30-second spots feature its Sonata Hybrid, Elantra, Equus, Genesis Coupe and Genesis R-Spec,

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Academy Awards: Hyundai ponders reality in Genesis ad

The Hyundai Genesis gained its first substantial acclaim as the 2009 North American Car of the Year. But the South Korean manufacturer didn’t rest for very for long on the praise. It’s now touting its performance-oriented Genesis during the Academy Awards. The award-winning Genesis sedan set a new benchmark in the premium car category. It costs about $33,000 and included performance and luxury features like touch-screen navigation, electronic parking brake with automatic vehicle hold, Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFLS), Lexicon audio systems and electronic active head restraints. But the new Hyundai Genesis is the 365-horsepower, 25 mpg edition. One automotive publication commented, “It’s as luxurious as a Lexus LS 460.” And with the voice over of Justin Bateman, the commercial

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Oscars: Honda, Ford, Toyota teased in Hyundai Elantra ad

Among the nine commercial slots Hyundai has purchased for the Academy Awards, seven will be broadcast during the Oscars telecast, four with the voice over of Arrested Development star Jason Bateman. Three of the ads “Drawing Board,” “Childhood,” and “Deprogramming” all showcase the Hyundai Elantra. The commercial “Drawing Board,” is a straight-forward, none hi-tech 30 seconds during which Hyundai quotes car reviews in various praises of the 40 mpg 2011 Elantra. Toyota, Honda and Ford all take understated, perfectly timed criticism, while one car site is quoted as saying the Elantra has hit a home run in the compact car segment. The commercial ends with Bateman posing the question: “Anybody got a drawing board?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glAJWPE0xQg James RaiaA sports, travel and

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Academy Awards: Hyundai again in auto ad driver's seat

For the third straight year, Hyundai will be the exclusive automotive sponsor of the Academy Awards, with nine ads from the Korean manufacturer set for broadcast throughout the Sunday, February 27 pre-show and telecast on ABC. In accordance with Academy rules, and to ensure that Hyundai‘s long-time “voice” gets to enjoy the spotlight for his second consecutive Oscar nomination, Hyundai has cast a guest star Jason Bateman to provides the voiceover for four ads surrounding the “Best Actor” award category presentation in which official voice Jeff Bridges in nominated Hyundai‘s lineup includes spots for Sonata, Sonata Turbo, Sonata Hybrid, Elantra, Genesis and Equus. The two red carpet ads include “Good Things Come in Threes” featuring Sonata’s three distinct powertrains, and

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Oscars: Hyundai debuts clever Academy Awards ad with Jeff Bridges' actor friends

What do Kim Basinger, David Duchovny, Richard Dreyfuss, Catherine Keener, Michael Madsen, Mandy Patinkin and Martin Sheen have in common with Jeff Bridges and what do the eight actors have in common with the Academy Awards and Hyundai? It’s simple. Bridges has been the voice of Hyundai for the past three years, and the South Korean automaker is the exclusive automotive sponsor for the Academy Awards broadcast. But Bridges is also nominated as Best Actor for his performance in Crazy Heart. And therein lies the problem. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences prohibits sponsors from running advertising featuring any of the night’s nominees or presenters, which put Hyundai in a bind. Bridges suggested seven of his fellow actors,

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