Hyundai Gives Hope on Wheels September Childhood Cancer Awareness Initiative Hyundai Motor America
As a nationwide recession and a dramatic drop in sales across the automotive industry compelled many auto manufacturers to scale back cause marketing initiatives, Hyundai Motor America and its signature corporate social responsibility program, Hyundai Hope on Wheels, seized the opportunity to raise awareness about childhood cancer by expanding its cause marketing efforts in 2010 with the inaugural “Hyundai Gives Hope on Wheels” September Childhood Cancer Awareness initiative.
The majority of funds donated to Hope on Wheels come directly from Hyundai dealers. Each time a new Hyundai vehicle is sold in the U.S., the dealer donates $5 to Hope on Wheels.
For the 2010 September Childhood Cancer Awareness program, a similar funding mechanism was employed to raise the additional $6.8 million donated during that month and also expanded the donation base to consumers via a multi-platform public education approach.
As a part of the September Awareness program, 68 Hyundai Hope Grants in the amount of $100,000 were awarded for research or program-based projects. Many local dealers played a role in the local check presentation ceremonies held for each recipient.
Dealers were empowered during the month of September (Childhood Cancer Awareness Month) to raise their local profiles as cause-oriented businesses via in-dealership collateral materials, guidelines kit and the ability to sell handprints on site to raise additional funds.
Hyundai Motor America recorded significant year-over-year sales for the month of September and helped establish the company and its dealers as leaders in the fight against childhood cancer. The September campaign brought the 2010 total donation to fight childhood cancer to $8.9 million.
Judges were sold by how this program stayed true to its employee-led beginnings and kept the program largely dealer-centric in local communities while simultaneously paving the road for a national presence. Of particular note was that donations from consumers who did not purchase Hyundai cars increased more than 1000 percent year-over-year.