Academy Awards ads were winners for Hyundai, Audi

   Audi Q5, left, and Hyundai Genesis were featured on Academy Awards ads.

Academy Awards ads have paid off for auto manufacturers Audi and Hyundai.

Edmunds.com, a top on-line provider of automotive information, reported Monday that it has noticed a significant increase in site traffic since the ads were broadcast during Sunday night’s award ceremonies.

Hyundai pages received a 27 percent increase in visitors compared to the comparable period of the previous week and Audi pages noted a hike of 26 percent.

Hyundai used the ad time to promote its Assurance Plus Program, a limited-time offer in which it will cover three months of lease or loan payments while an unemployed buyer looks for a job. People unable to find a job in that time can turn their vehicles in with no impact on their credit. Hyundai’s flagship Genesis sedan was featured in the ads. Traffic to its Edmunds.com site has risen 86 percent.

Audi’s ads spotlighted the all-new 2009 Audi Q5, a mid-size luxury crossover vehicle that is just now going on sale in the United States.