Tree Correspondents - Hyundai

Background: Hyundai’s purpose, Progress for Humanity, isn’t a slogan. It’s a belief that innovation must serve something greater: the planet, its people, and the shared future we create together.

Tree Correspondents was born from that belief. Not to market a sustainability milestone, but to multiply its impact. We didn’t just plant a million trees; we created a platform for advocacy, transforming Hyundai’s IONIQ Forest into a living symbol of environmental progress.

By turning data into storytelling and trees into credible sources for the global press, we moved beyond commemoration and into contribution, building a platform that empowers others to advocate for change.

This was purpose encoded into infrastructure, not campaign. A lasting resource for journalists. A new voice for nature. And a clear signal that Hyundai’s values don’t live in statements. They live in systems designed to move humanity (and the Earth it depends on) forward.

Idea: Through bespoke AI systems, we could process more environmental data than any journalist could in a lifetime, bringing stories of the forest to life like never before.

We transformed IONIQ Forests into an editorial department, combining data from 8 terrestrial sensors (air, tree, soil) with global weather data, filtered through connected LLM agents, generating a first-person perspective of the forest.

The surprise wasn’t that the trees could report on themselves. It’s that what they said was urgent, personal, and unforgettable. Through these stories, we realized the power of this tool, and its ability to spark change in environmental journalism.

So we setup a platform. With permanent sensors still collecting data, and by making content open to 8,000+ journalists and 500+ outlets, we gave trees the tools to report forever.

This idea didn’t cross boundaries; it dissolved them, merging data science, journalism, AI, and environmental advocacy into one unified concept.

Results: Tree Correspondents redefines how brands can contribute to global sustainability efforts. Rather than celebrating arbitrary sustainability milestones, we built a tool to ensure Hyundai’s tree-planting efforts weren’t overshadowed by the larger issue, deforestation.

A reporting tool made available to 8000+ Journalists.

A credible source for climate change data released to 500+ Media outlets.

28 data-fueled articles providing credibility for using AI-enabled trees as climate correspondents.

Not only did we create a never-before-seen tool for advocacy at scale, we helped EV Considerers see Hyundai in a new light.

An 11.1 point lift in the belief that “Hyundai is a brand I would feel proud to drive.”

A 19.3 point lift in the belief that “Hyundai is living up to their slogan, ‘Progress for Humanity.’”

A 13.4 point lift in purchase intent for Hyundai IONIQ EVs (a total of 66% of likely IONIQ considerers).

Now that’s progress through purpose.

Role: Strategy Director

CEO: Emma Armstrong

CCO: Michael Aimette

Global Creative Partner: Danilo Boer

CSO: Todd Sussman

ECD: Alex Abrantes

Creative Directors: Pieter Claeys, Roxane Schneider, Joey Monteverde, EJ Lee

Executive Producer: Daniel Roversi

Senior Producer: Alina Carrel

SVP Group Account Director: Diana Gonzalez Cash

Account Director: Elisa Tanganelli

Account Executive: Louis Carvell