With a tagline of `Power to Excite', the advertising, created by Saatchi & Saatchi, is aimed at arousing curiosity for Accent's curves, contours, colours and powerful 1,500 cc, 12-valve, four-cylinder, 94ps @ 5500 rpm, MPFI Hyundai Alpha engine.

The TVC, which cost $ 1 million to produce, follows the pattern of the press campaign, where the car was unveiled after raising expectations and kindling curiosity. The preceding campaigns didn't reveal Accent until its launch on October 14, 1999.

In the first TVC, a car is shown moving under a silk-covered road (silk connotes luxury) with a line -- `Open your eyes to the $ 1.2 billion car. Hold your breath.'

In the post-launch TVC -- which is expected to continue till the end of November 1999-the veil of silk comes off and the Accent is revealed in all its splendour.``The treatment is about features and image,'' says Sanjeev Shukla, assistant manager, Hyundai. With a mix of 10 and 30 seconders, Accent has already taken a position in Zee News and Sony.

Hyundai expects to spend around Rs 9 crore in the advertising and promotion (A&P) of Accent by March 2000, out of its total A&P spend of Rs 16 crore. ``We were the smallest advertisers during the Euro-II campaign -- we spent just Rs 60,000, while our rivals spent as much as Rs 2-3 crore and yet we sold more Santro cars,'' says BVR Subbu, director, marketing and sales, Hyundai. ``In the car market, advertising only informs and creates awareness, it's really the quality of ownership experience and customer references that builds up sales.''

To that effect, Hyundai is activating its network of 72 dealerships across India. Beginning October 20, 1999, it's kicking off roadshows, in conjunction with Delhi-based event management company Showtime, in all zones: Mumbai, Pune and Ahmedabad in the west; Chennai, Bangalore, Kochi and Hyderabad in the south; Calcutta in the East; and Delhi, Ludhiana and Chandigarh in the north. In other cities Hyundai dealers will run their own roadshows.

Says Subbu, ``In order to create a warm, friendly dealership with a family orientation towards Accent customers, we've already retrained our dealers with the help of outside consultants.''

Hyundai is also planning to reactivate Tulip Club, which was formed last year for the female drivers of Santro. ``We're also looking at new approaches to cater to Accent customers,'' adds Subbu.

Accent is targeting corporate executives, and high networth individuals who are looking for contemporary technology and value. In a bid to capture 20 per cent of the 60,000 annual mid-sized car market with Accent in the first year of operations, Hyundai is focusing on nurturing its relationship with existing customers, dealers as well as its financing partners like ICICI, Kotak Mahindra and Citibank.

Says Subbu, ``Their customers, with five-year old Esteems, who want to upgrade to Accent, are excellent to work with.''