• by Tanya Gazdik , February 10, 2026

For viewers with an interest in football, the first three quarters of this year’s Super Bowl were kind of boring, which actually might have worked to Hyundai and Volkswagen’s advantage. 

Hyundai did not advertise on the Big Game, but offered a social media activation to engage consumers at a much lower price point than buying a spot. 

Volkswagen, which did have a spot in the game, also launched a companion social campaign.

Thousands of social media users participated in Hyundai's “Epic Picks” social media campaign, making game predictions to support pediatric cancer research and turning game-day engagement into real-world impact. 

And Hyundai framed it like this: Instead of making an ad for the Big Game, Hyundai makes a difference.

The result: Hyundai Motor America is donating $1 million to Hyundai Hope on Wheels, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting pediatric cancer research.

The social media programming also extended Hyundai’s “Make Every Day Feel Epic” campaign with ads starring John Krasinski while advancing Hyundai’s long-standing mission to help end childhood cancer.

“This was one of the biggest sports weekends of the year, and we wanted fans to feel like they were part of something bigger,” said Sean Gilpin, CMO, Hyundai Motor America, in a statement. “Using our social channels gave football fans a fun way to join the action while helping us drive meaningful support for Hyundai Hope on Wheels. Bringing people together for a good cause is what makes moments like this truly epic.”

The activation was developed in collaboration with Hyundai’s agency of record, Innocean USA, while its media agency, Canvas, coordinated the media buys.

Volkswagen debuted its new 30-second "Drivers wanted" reprise spot from Johannes Leonardo in the third quarter. Creative includes a series of invitations: a group of friends inviting their friend to dance in the rain, adust-covered Golf GTI with "call me" scrawled beneath a phone number.  

For those who take VW up on the invitation, there's more to discover: hidden moments were breadcrumbed throughout the Big Game spot and across @vw socials will lead viewers to discover additional ways to engage with the campaign.  

The clues continue through March 2 and will direct audiences to Driverswanted.co where eligible participants can enter for a chance to win prizes, including a new 2026 Golf GTI.