For several years, Hyundai Motor America and U.S. Hyundai dealers donated a portion of every vehicle sold to support a pediatric cancer research hospital. In 2004, the program had grown to over $6 million, and Hyundai dealers realized their donations could have further impact by contributing to hospitals throughout the United States, while at the same time raising awareness among consumers about this important cause.

Richards Partners created the Hyundai Hope On Wheels tour to help communicate Hyundai's commitment to this cause. A highly visible and participatory grassroots tour, Hope On Wheels features a Hyundai vehicle covered in the handprints of children around the country who are battling – and beating – pediatric cancer.

The vehicle travels to children's hospitals and events around the country inviting local children to participate in "handprint ceremonies" where, with news cameras rolling, they pick a spot on the vehicle to contribute their individual handprints to the others already on the car. During these events, Hyundai dealers also collectively present a sizable donation to a local Children's Oncology Group hospital (via a partnership with CureSearch National Childhood Cancer Foundation), earmarked for pediatric cancer research. The tour is also chronicled on a website (www.hyundaihopeonwheels.com) created by our interactive partner agency, Click Here.

The tour has now stopped in dozens of cities, and hundreds of children have contributed their handprints to the vehicle. The initiative has also generated accolades from several local legislators and an appearance by Miss America 2005 Deidre Downs at some Hope On Wheels events during her reign.

The program has generated media attention in USA Today, more than 500 TV and radio segments, and over 50 local newspapers (including numerous large dailies such as The Houston Chronicle, The Miami Herald, The Baltimore Sun, The Sacramento Bee and The Salt Lake Tribune). This media coverage is recognized as not only a positive for Hyundai and the hospitals, but it truly helps the cause by raising much-needed awareness of childhood cancer issues and by shining the spotlight on local efforts to eradicate this disease. This program recently garnered the prestigious national Halo Award given by the Cause Marketing Forum.

Of course, the most important measure of success lies in the mission itself. With continued contributions from individuals and companies such as Hyundai, the childhood cancer cure rate, now at 78 percent, is estimated to be 85 percent by 2008 and, within our lifetime, that number is predicted to be 100 percent.