In a weird mash-up, Hyundai is using the Kansas City skyline, with a few more buildings thrown in for good measure, in a national television commercial for its 2017 Sonata model.
The spot opens with heavy freeway traffic in the foreground but there’s no mistaking the core downtown skyline in the background: One Kansas City Place, the Town Pavilion, the Power & Light building, 1201 Walnut and Commerce Tower.
But it’s obviously a photo montage because several other high-rise buildings have been added to make the skyline more dramatic and when the ad jumps to the cars themselves, they have California license plates.
As for the drivers, they’re all singing heartily along to “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond. The theme of the spot is “Happy Drivers Make Better Drivers.”
Well, it also likely made a few Kansas Citians happy to see their city spotlighted nationally – sort of.
Kevin Collison, a freelance contributor to KCUR 89.3, writes about downtown Kansas City for his website CityScene KC.
