Make no mistake, everything around you is telling a story. From the films you love to the politicians seeking your vote to the advertisements that compel you to purchase a product, everyone has some information they want to impart to you. While social media may be “selling” you on how great another person’s life is, advertisements sell you an idea of how great your life can be. This is not necessarily a negative thing. In the same way that a great film can inspire you to move in a positive direction, so can advertising. The master storytellers are those whom are rooted in the literary and film world. While Graphic Designer Jiping Liu might be at home in either of these, she often found utilizing her talent for a varied array of productions. Her work for China’s prestigious online company Tencent as well as for American films like 2018’s Horror film Into the Mirror or the family drama Tape have established her career in the realm of movies but you can also find her at work for companies like Hyundai. As Art Director for the Chinese American market, Jiping has worked on the print advertising, highway billboards, event designs, and commercial storyboarding for the South Korean conglomerate. With estimated total assets of more than one-hundred-eighty trillion and status as a NASDAQ traded company, Hyundai can afford to work with the best; in their estimation, that means working with Jiping Liu. Her work has become an essential and increasingly visible part of the company’s strategy to attract and retain customers in the Chinese American market.
Tencent is as common a name in China as Google is in America. This huge multinational conglomerate is the go-to for everything from video games and film production to e-commerce and social media. It was Jiping’s work with Tencent which caught the eye of URi Global, Inc. and prompted them to hire her as Art Director on campaigns for their biggest client, Hyundai. Though URi Global, Inc. is an advertising agency, they understood the power of having Jiping’s creativity as a graphic designer and as an award-winning filmmaker. Absolutely essential for Jiping’s position on the Hyundai campaigns was the fact that she possess both the creative talent and understands the target audience of Chinese Americans. As a native of China, everything from the artwork style to the language was intuitive for Jiping. Her vacillation between film and advertising is something that she also sees as a natural combination stating, “I think that working in the film industry and working on 2D ad campaigns are not so different. It’s all about telling a story. Working in each of these mediums has made me a better storyteller. Whether it’s drawing or hand-making things for digital graphics, I’m able to be creative and present my unique style. Wearing multiple hats is natural for me.”
When viewed through the eyes of Jiping Liu, these ads for Hyundai actually do reveal much more in common with the world of filmmaking than one might notice at first glance. Any story that captures your attention is one in which you see a part of yourself. When Hyundai wanted to appeal to the Chinese American middle class with their Palisade vehicle, Jiping built her approach around space and safety. Focusing on these paramount attributes of the Palisade against its competitor, she added excitement with the idea of battle between the two with the Palisade as the clear victor. Hyundai was elated by the response of this campaign and returned in 2020 with direction right out of the film world stating, “Just wow us.” Jiping’s response was to create ads which ranged from the history of the SUV itself to an ultra-modern depiction of a family enjoying the latest smart features and safety designs of the eight-seat Palisade. Her work will continue on with Hyundai in the coming year for their annual Spring sales event. From storyboarding TV Commercial & Print Advertising to series pieces that will be designed to feature SUV combos, Sedans, Sedan combos, and others, Jiping Liu will be prominent in crafting this message directed to the more than five-million Chinese Americans in the US.