Hyundai forced to pull Oscars spots

STAR VEHICLE: Hyundai was forced to pull the seven spots it had prepared for Sunday night’s Oscars telecast on ABC because of a technicality. At issue was Best Actor nominee Jeff Bridges, who’s been doing voiceovers for Hyundai since 2007. Even with the new accommodation last year that finally let movie studios advertise actual movies during the Oscars, marketers still have to make sure certain ads featuring celebrities or celebrity voiceovers don't run near segments of the program that could feature those same stars. Trying to determine where seven Hyundai ads could run and not violate the conditions of Oscars advertising was simply too much to handle, Hyundai’s Chris Perry told Ad Age. So the automaker is keeping the ads but has enlisted seven other celebrities to read the copy. "We've been scrambling to get this thing done," said Perry, name checking Kim Basinger, Richard Dreyfuss, David Duchovny, Catherine Keener, Michael Madsen, Mandy Patinkin and Martin Sheen. What, no Ryan Bingham? (3/2a)