Extensive new research revealed Black millennial men have a neutral to negative opinion of the Toyota brand. They see Toyota as an older, conservative, family brand, one that doesn’t consider or speak directly to them. We set out to change that with the “You Can’t Stop My Drive” campaign. The creative was born out of a strategic insight that these Black millennial drivers view mobility as a key to their success. “Baton”, a sixty second love letter to Black men, highlights a diverse mix of Black men through a series of portraits with their Toyotas. We also created 15, 10 and 6 second digital videos, social and radio. We truly believe this campaign packs the kind of dynamic punch to make the target reconsider what the Toyota brand is all about.
No matter how much each new Camry changes, consumers continue to have the same old view of the car and its drivers as boring. So, for the Vibe Shift campaign, we put the focus on showing how dynamic the drivers of Camry's were. These are the type of people who can change the vibe of the room the minute they enter one, or better yet, change the vibe of the day the moment they pull up. We used Camry drivers and their unique lives, to highlight specific aspects of the car, from style, to tech, to performance.
Sometimes, the best stories are the ones you don't have to make up. For the launch of Kyrie Irving's new signature shoe, the KAI 1 from Anta, we uncovered a seemingly mystical connection between Kyrie and the number 11. The number has a reoccurring presence in his life that infers he was uniquely marked for greatness. Told like an ancient allegory, our 90 second animated digital video, "Origin Story", hopes to capture the imagination of sneaker heads, old and young. We also created digital teaser videos to create buzz and awareness on social media.
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 “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.
Toyota Avalon had an age problem. Historically, most of its drivers were north of 55 years of age. But with a sleek new design, updated technology, and a serious performance enhancement, we wanted to rebrand the car as fun. We created a "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" type couple, and followed them through aspirational situations where they engaged in "serious play." In each situation, we were able to highlight the unique aspects of the car, in an innovative way.
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 60 second spot, acts as a brand story featuring Highlander, as Toyota honors the 100 year anniversary of Negro Leagues Baseball. Our 30 second TV spot, "Home Team" features an extended family, honoring its baseball legend patriarch, Negro Leagues legend, Jim Robinson.
For the "Deep In The Woods" campaign, we were tasked with positioning RAV4 as the perfect adventure grade vehicle to a target that is skeptical of going into remote, outdoor spaces. We faced the problem head on by using horror movie tropes as a humorous way of debunking the fears of skeptical urban dwellers. This episodic campaign played out over three, 90 second episodes. The spots ran in digital spaces, including social and pre-roll.
“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.
