Introducing
“Tree Correspondents”
– Hyundai gives trees a voice
6 minute read
We as humans have communicated with trees since our earliest days. Around the globe, there are ancient and sacred trees whose wisdom, knowledge, and majestic presence draw millions of people each year in their quest for harmony, insight, and balance. Tree Correspondents, Hyundai’s Cannes-winning campaign, reconnects us to what really matters by giving trees a voice, but this is more than a campaign. It’s an extension of Hyundai’s IONIQ Forest Initiative, a long-term global effort to support climate action, ecosystem restoration, and biodiversity conservation through tree planting.
A connection as old as time
Chances are, at some point in your life, you've touched a tree. Not because you wanted to climb it like a kid or hang a bird feeder from it. Instead, you felt the need to touch it for a deeper, more primal reason that often can't be expressed in words but only felt. There's a desire to connect with trees on a cellular level—to feel both their strength and tranquility and the life flowing just beneath their bark.
Whoever knows how to listen to trees, can learn the truth. Hermann Hesse
Tongues for the trees
Nothing gives and inspires quite like trees. That's why their preservation extends beyond just achieving sustainable goals. It is about preserving and nurturing a part of us that the trees hold. We are in a long-term relationship with trees and the world around them. How are they feeling, and what do they wish to share with an old friend? The 'Tree Correspondents' campaign gave them the microphone.
'Tree Correspondents' is embedded in Hyundai's philosophy of Progress for Humanity and is part of its IONIQ Forest Initiative, which aims to support climate action, ecosystem restoration, and biodiversity conservation through global tree-planting initiatives. The project began in Korea to celebrate the first launch of the IONIQ in 2016 and has since expanded globally with the launch of IONIQ 5 in 2021.
Currently, the IONIQ Forest Initiative is active in reforestation and tree planting across a total of 13 regions globally: Korea, the US, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, the Czech Republic, Germany, Türkiye, India, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and China. The initiative celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2025, having planted one million trees in the focus countries by the end of July.
Through the IONIQ Forest project, Hyundai has been planting trees around the world to restore ecosystems and preserve biodiversity. But we felt it was important to go further - beyond planting trees - and help society recognize the urgent need for forest conservation. That’s why, for the first time, we imagined giving the trees themselves a voice. The Tree Correspondents campaign was born from this idea: to allow the trees to speak directly and share their stories, reminding us why forests matter.
The Science behind the storytelling
Giving the trees their say began with a highly creative, AI-driven brand campaign that asked the question: What would happen if you gave trees a voice by transforming ecological data into individual, first-person narratives? To make this happen and let the trees do the talking, we installed environmental sensors on IONIQ Forest trees in Brazil, the Czech Republic, and Korea. The sensors measure numerous factors, including photosynthesis, soil moisture, and surrounding environmental conditions, in real-time.
We're creating language from data using a bespoke process, turning complex data streams into a narrative that gradually will build up the story from the tree's point of view. R&D Director at Uncharted Limbo Collective, Eleana Polychronaki
Once the sensors were installed, the trees got the conversation going. Using a sophisticated AI setup, all local data from the sensors was then monitored and interpreted by a bespoke large language model (LLM). External datasets, such as The Weather Company (the world's leading weather data provider) and the Copernicus Climate Change Service (an EU Earth Observation Program), served as an interface to transform the gathered measurements into expressive, highly personalized, human-like narratives shaped by each tree's location, history, and ecosystem.
Working closely with a human editor-in-chief, our custom large language model (LLM) forms the basis for each article by combining local and regional data, scientific insights, and literary influences. This method promotes a perspective that blends ecology and storytelling. The LLM uses sensor readings, climate data, and species traits, along with a carefully selected mix of literature, philosophy, and scientific papers to enrich each tree's story.
By combining these diverse inputs, the LLM transforms raw information into insightful, nature-driven stories that reflect a deep understanding of the world.
Human beings have been telling the natural world how it is for too long. Nature Writer and Journalist, Dan Richard
Insights to incite new perspectives
Trees suddenly sharing their local environmental status in the most human of ways helps to rebuild the dialogue we once had with each other. Hearing their voices, we once again become part of their lives—an essential step for our future and theirs. Their personal tales about the stress of drought, climate change, forest loss, or even their happiness at seeing birds return help bring trees out of the woods and into our consciousness. By shifting the perspective of environmentalism, the project aims to create a new kind of engagement that allows the audience to feel more connected to the natural world around them.
Trees are ancient and wise. With roots that run deep, they possess more knowledge about the forest than Google ever could. Yet, for some reason, no one listens to what trees have to say, perhaps because they have never had a voice—until now.
Through the IONIQ Forest, Hyundai has planted its first million trees across 13 countries.
Now, we're letting those trees speak for themselves—as Tree Correspondents.
By attaching sensors to the trees and using an AI language model, we transform real-time environmental data into human words. These trees now speak, backed by data, powered by nature.
Now that they have a voice,
Will you listen?
When a forest becomes the talk of the town
Hyundai's CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) marketing campaign, 'Tree Correspondents,' also found enthusiastic listeners at the 2025 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. The campaign won two Gold Lions and one Silver Lion in the Digital Craft category and was also shortlisted in a total of five categories. The accolades were made even more special in that it marks the first time a Korean automobile brand has won a Gold Lion.
Eyes on the real prize
Tree Correspondents’ is a new and creative milestone in our commitment to Progress for Humanity. Through this campaign, we hope to foster meaningful connections between people and nature. Our goal is to move forward in a way that balances innovation with environmental responsibility.
We at Hyundai will continue to demonstrate our commitment through concrete and measurable actions worldwide.
Because creating a better world is a story worth telling.
Follow Hyundai on Instagram (@hyundai) for all the latest news and vehicle highlights.