Hyundai Motor Group’s “Cocqui Alarmed” Wins Cannes Lions Grand Prix

SEOUL, (June 30, 2026) – Hyundai Motor Group (the Group) took home three awards at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2026, further cementing its growing reputation for creative excellence and innovation.

The “Coquí Alarmed” and “Forests Without Names” campaigns earned top honors, underscoring that the brand’s creative excellence isn’t a one-off achievement but a sustained, globally recognized standard.

Building on its strong showing at the 2025 Cannes Lions, where it claimed the Grand Prix for “Night Fishing” and Gold and Silver Lions for “Tree Correspondent,” Hyundai Motor has kept up its creative momentum. The company’s inventive campaigns, spanning cultural storytelling and corporate social responsibility (CSR), reflect its continued leadership in 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 its “Coquí Alarmed” campaign. The idea grew out of a viral moment in 2025, when a tourist’s complaint about the song of Puerto Rico’s native coquí frog prompted locals to rally in defense of the island’s beloved sound and cultural symbol.

In a creative tribute to the island’s heritage, Hyundai Motor swapped the standard factory alarm sound on rental vehicles for the distinctive croak of the coquí. The response was so enthusiastic that customers began requesting the same modification for their own cars, turning what began as a cultural defense 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 win, the campaign also advanced species conservation by raising awareness of the coquí’s ecological importance and the urgent need to protect it: of the 14 known coquí species, three are already at risk of extinction.

The 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, sheds light on the plight of sea forests[1], vital marine ecosystems that lack legal and institutional protection. By naming and mapping these underwater habitats, the campaign raises awareness of their ecological value and turns an invisible environmental issue into an emotionally resonant story.

After securing official designation and policy-level recognition for Korea’s sea forests, the company took the initiative global, partnering with local NGOs and communities in Argentina and Australia to identify and name sea forests in each region.

Building on this work, the company developed the Global Sea Forest Map, consolidating fragmented data from various international marine conservation NGOs and scientific organizations into a single integrated platform. The map draws on satellite-based distribution data, protected area designations, and marine environmental factors such as water temperature, depth, and salinity to document the newly named forests.

This comprehensive dataset, which enables a multidimensional understanding of global marine forest conditions, has since been officially handed over to a global collaborative network focused on marine ecosystem research and conservation, supporting ongoing preservation efforts.

By turning sea forest conservation into a prominent public issue, the campaign has gone beyond simple messaging to drive real, sustained action. Along with its Bronze win, the campaign earned finalist status in five other Cannes Lions categories, including Design and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), drawing widespread attention from the global advertising industry.

Hyundai Motor’s Winning Campaigns Overview

In addition to Hyundai Motor Company’s wins, Hyundai Motor Group was also honored with the Bronze Lion in the Design Lions: Use of Emerging Technology category for “Vision Pulse.”