Hyundai is leveraging a 3D character as part of its #NewSonata campaign on Vine and Twitter, designed to showcase new features of the 2015 Sonata.

The Vine series, titled #HyundaiHank, features a 3D action figure based on Hyundai Motor America?s director of marketing communications, David Matathia. In the short clips, ?Hank? explores the new Sonata?s features, including Rear Backup Assist and a Panoramic Sunroof.

?We think it will make people smile,? said Greg Braun, executive creative director, INNOCEAN USA, Huntington Beach, CA. ?And help them see Hyundai in a more personable, approachable light.

?There?s something inherently fun about seeing a small-scale action figure interacting with an object much larger than it. Stop-motion animation also has such a charming, playful vibe that no other technique can replicate.?

Social media campaign
The #HyundaiHank series aims to give consumers a more thorough, interactive look at the mid-sized sedan. The car manufacturer hopes that Hank will serve as an unofficial mascot and help augment the brand by establishing an emotional connection with viewers.

In one Vine, accompanied by the tagline ?Summer?s over, but who?s keeping track? Not this guy,? Hank suns himself with mirrors in a parking lot until one of his mirrors reflects the Sonata?s HID Xenon Lights, making him sit up and take notice.

In a Halloween-themed clip, Hank is playing with the gear shift when the Rear Backup Assist displays an image of a frightening jack-o-lantern, which causes him to fall off the shift in shock.

In another #HyundaiHank adventure, the Panoramic Sunroof opens up. Hank then climbs a rope to the roof and stands on it, enjoying the view.

The Vines were filmed with stop-motion technology to create an ?old-school? look. Design agency INNOCEAN USA used materials such as thread, putty and wooden dowels to suspend, support and animate the figure in unusual poses.

The videos will also be cross-posted on Twitter and other social media sites.

Augmenting brand with creative
Using Vines as creative is an extremely popular strategy for car brands. The six-second clips lend themselves well to clever and short marketing efforts, prompting manufacturers such as Volkswagen, Buick, Nissan and Ford to use the social media platform for often-humorous videos.

Vine is frequently used by a younger demographic, suggesting that Hyundai is attempting to market its mid-priced vehicles to the millennial generation. The car brand is also leveraging Apple?s CarPlay in the 2015 Sonata, an iOS feature that allows drivers to make calls from the car, listen to music, navigate maps and receive messages with help from Siri (see story).

A demonstration of CarPlay?s integration with the vehicle can be seen in the 2015 Hyundai Sonata?s promotional video ? First Drive with Alabama Factory Tour & In Depth Apple Car Play Demo,? found on YouTube.

?We wanted to tell a product story about the new Sonata but do so in a way that didn?t feel too technical or heavy-handed,? Mr. Braun said. ?In ?The Big Adventures of Hyundai Hank,? we follow the small-scale adventures of a character who is equal parts curious, playful, and adventurous.

?The theme of our bigger Hyundai Sonata campaign is ?[making] every day, less everyday,? and this premise felt like a natural extension of that notion.?

Final Take
Alex Samuely is an editorial assistant on Mobile Marketer, New York