As a Creative Director, I rarely get a chance to spend time in a very real, physical embodiment of a tagline I helped create. But over a weekend this September, I did exactly that. And what I saw offers a powerful lesson in brand experience design that all can learn from.
Hyundai Card, the credit card and financial services company, invited me to speak at Hyundai Card DaVinci MOTEL, a three-day cultural convergence festival it hosts annually in Seoul. I attended with my colleague, Global Executive Creative Director Emma Barratt.
One reason for our invitation was that Wolff Olins has worked with Hyundai Card since 2023. Another was that the event this year was a manifestation of “Architect of Change” – Hyundai Card’s brand tagline, which we created and launched last year.
Established in 2001 through the acquisition of Diners Club Korea, Hyundai Card has since crossed the boundaries of product, technology and branding and built a distinctive identity by leveraging a diverse range of cultural marketing initiatives, including DaVinci MOTEL.
With participants ranging from museum curators to fashion designers to pop musicians, this year’s line-up was eclectic. But even more impressive was how through the event Hyundai Card elevated great brand experience and took it to another level.
And by doing so, the brand experience enabled Hyundai Card to show it is influencing how people feel by shaping culture, rather than simply providing ways to pay.
Three aspects that stood out
Intimacy that moves
DaVinci MOTEL created intimacy by using small, purposeful spaces.
The compact, low-ceilinged exhibition space and under-stage venue with tight occupancy made you feel like you were experiencing talks and shows together, as part of a group rather than alone.
One moment involving Ted Chung, the Vice Chairman and CEO, who has led Hyundai Card’s transformation, stands out.
As he sat across from a musician in an intimate discussion on stage, a girl in the row in front of me was on the edge of her seat – hanging on every word, every pause. You could see it, she was locked in, fully present, whispering to her neighbour excitedly.
It was personal, human, and showed how designing for intimacy can really pay off.
While scale can impress, intimacy moves. Slowing people down and encouraging conversation creates a sense of being part of something special, not just another corporate showcase.
Expansiveness that energises
DaVinci MOTEL challenged convention by not staying locked inside the venue. Instead, it spilled out into the street – quite literally with neighbouring cafes, shops and even street vendors joining in with signage and comms – making the city part of the experience.
Bleeding the brand into the city in this way made the experience feel alive rather than staged.
Design as scaffolding
DaVinci MOTEL also demonstrated the power of investing in design, not as decoration but as scaffolding for an entire experience.
Every touchpoint — from the typography on walls to the physical installations to the way the lighting shifted through the day — carried the care and intent that makes an experience memorable rather than disposable.
Additionally, the event was designed to be seamless.
Every touchpoint — from the typography on walls to the physical installations to the way the lighting shifted through the day — carried the care and intent that makes an experience memorable rather than disposable.
Space flowed effortlessly, even with crowds weaving in and out. And the staff weren’t just efficient, they were warm and always ready to help. That’s the thing about world class production – it’s invisible, in the best way.
Why all this matters
Hyundai Card doesn’t treat design as an accessory but as the architecture of a great experience.
DaVinci MOTEL is a powerful demonstration of how a brand can turn utility – in Hyundai Card’s case, finance – into culture, making a credit card and financial services company feel like a cultural architect.
It shows that while running and branding an event well is important, it’s only the beginning. Ultimately, it shows how the most meaningful and unforgettable brand experiences are those with design as their backbone.
Matthew Haysom is Creative Director at Wolff Olins.
