Doing the minimum is easy. These days, it’s not only acceptable, it’s rewarded. Toyota could have held a sale and instructed people to go to their local dealer and drive and sign their new vehicle away. They don’t need to do a rap video. They don’t need to use artistic shots in the video. They didn’t need to think-tank their way through lyrical verses. They didn’t have to connect with parents to sell a minivan.They didn’t have to use YouTube to sell a minivan.
But they did.
Video: SWAGGER WAGON
Sometimes, it’s worth the additional effort, creativity and drive to make a difference for prospects and customers. Make an experience. Make ’em laugh. Not everything is lead-gen. Not everything is black and white. I am positive they sold a few more minivans to cover the costs of the video. In addition, this video helps disassociate Toyota from their blemished safety record and to actually make a minivan designed for parents so they (implicitly) get their kids from point A to point B safely. Kudos to the agency who helped them mend their brand damage with this project. Good stuff.
Toyota could have made another car commercial. Would 400,000+ people actually pay attention and smile from it? My guess is no — we always skip through and ignore car commercials. Toyota really nailed it in this video. And this is an example of broadcast media meeting social media — in a way that works. The brand is not using old-school tactics in a new world order. They’re actually contributing and making the experience pleasant for viewers. In 1080p, even.
