Watching the Academy Awards last night, you may have noticed something missing…from the Hyundai commercials.
Jeff Bridges, now an Academy Award winner, normally provides the voice behind the commercials; but Hyundai pulled him after he was nominated for the best actor award in Crazy Heart.
Stand-ins (or voice-ins) for Jeff Bridges, included Catherine Keener, Kim Basinger, David Duchovny, Richard Dreyfuss, Michael Madsen, Mandy Patinkin and Martin Sheen.
Hyundai walks away a winner too. The car company gets kudos for going along with the rules (the Academy limits any nominee from appearing in advertising during the awards), AND it now has a Oscar-winning spokesperson.