For the launch of the all-new Toyota Tacoma, we challenge Black men to "get out there", liberating themselves from the constraints of home, in search for fun in the great outdoors. The social injustice of 2020 created a landscape that felt especially dangerous for Black men venturing out of their neighborhoods and familiar stomping grounds. Four years later, we're giving them permission to unleash their adventurous spirits, and try new things in the great outdoors, in a virtually unbreakable truck, the all-new Toyota Tacoma.
For the “Life’s Grander” campaign, we launched the all-new Toyota Grand Highlander by showing the hectic, chaotic lives real families lead. The best moments aren’t always picture perfect, but when you’re in a comfortable, well-equipped SUV, it’s easy to turn lemons into lemonade. We partnered with “Blackish” creator, Kenya Barris, to direct this campaign, and take it to another level.
“Nudge” is a brand campaign that positions Toyota as far more than an automaker. Instead, it portrays Toyota as a brand deeply invested in doing meaningful work in the African American community, with a simple gesture – a nudge. To launch the campaign we created a Need A Nudge website. There, we ask consumers to nominate deserving organizations in their communities, for a chance to win a nudge in the form of a $10,000 grant. After a nomination and voting phase, we named 17 winners who all received grants from Toyota. To promote the website, we created digital banners, social displays and broadcast and digital videos. “Training Wheels”, a 30 second TV spot, shows the positive effect community organizations have on individuals, simply by nudging them forward. All the promotional materials had a call to action that led consumers to NeedANudge.com.
The Corolla Cross, “Just Right” campaign, is designed to show how the features of the car create a seamless “just right” feel for anyone using it. To help bring that to life in broadcast and digital, we featured social media influencers/dance sensations, Aubrey Fisher, Gordon Watkins, Alexandra Watkins, Kevin Davis Jr. and Raino. Together, with their in-sync fluid movements, they demonstrate the joy and ease of interacting with the features of the first-ever Corolla Cross.
For the launch of the all-new 2022 Toyota Tundra, we identified a rapidly growing truck consumer. This pickup truck driver, who is an African American male, is unique, using his truck to make a style statement, rather than for work or play. The Made For This campaign is inspired by Black Dandyism, where Black men use fashion as a way to elevate how Black men are perceived collectively. In broadcast and digital, we also demonstrate how the all-new Tundra, with its bold style and impressive features, is a key component in helping them make a head turning statement every time they pull up.
The Go Highlander campaign launched the all-new Toyota Highlander as an elevated alternative to the stereotypical mid-sized SUV, focusing on the like-minded people who make up our tribe, rather than typical nuclear families. Our 30 second TV spots range from an extended family honoring its baseball legend patriarch, to a girl’s trip to a Kentucky Derby-like event. Our 60 second spot, acts as a brand story featuring Highlander, as Toyota honors the 100 year anniversary of Negro Leagues Baseball.
