Hyundai taps Jason Bateman as voice of brand

LOS ANGELES -- Hyundai is tapping actor Jason Bateman, whose dry wit fueled its popular Super Bowl ad on the hardships of car shopping, as the voice of the brand in the U.S. beginning with a new image-driven ad campaign on safety and the well-being of its customers.

Bateman, who played an elevator operator taking riders to floors dubbed "root canal" and "vegan dinner party" in the Super Bowl ad, will provide voice-overs for Hyundai's national advertising, both traditional and digital, the company said Tuesday.

Bateman's latest collaboration with the Korean automaker began last weekend with a campaign called "Better Drives Us" that focuses on brand values such as vehicle safety, customer service and a transparent buying experience. The Super Bowl ad promoted the brand's "Shopper Assurance" program as a heavenly alternative to hellish car shopping.

"We were looking for a voice that is recognizable and relatable," Dean Evans, chief marketing officer for Hyundai Motor America, said in a statement. "[Bateman] is versatile in a way that he can be both humorous and entertaining, but also serious and informative."

Bateman is perhaps best known for his deadpan comedy in the offbeat "Arrested Development" sitcom originally released in 2003, but he's had a long acting career going back to the 1980s. He stars in the American crime drama "Ozark" on Netflix. Bateman has also worked as a director and producer.