- Toyota Gazoo Racing's latest entry in their "Pitch" campaign
takes a playful jab at automotive marketing
- In this second installment, "The Focus Group," a thrilling
drift duel inside of an abandoned shopping center challenges the
conventional approach to automotive advertisements
- Featuring professional Toyota Gazoo Racing team drivers, race
modified cars and a GR86, a drift race through an empty mall
delights a customer focus group
- With Toyota's all new GR86 featured in the spot, it showcases
the car's precision handling in an environment that truly pushes
the limits of cautious marketers
PLANO,
Texas, March 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- What if car
commercials were just as exciting as the cars themselves? Toyota
takes aim at that question in the latest installment of its "Pitch"
series with "The Focus Group." In this round, Toyota Gazoo North
America Racing (TGR-NA) team drivers make precision maneuvers in
race modified cars and a GR86 inside and around an abandoned
shopping mall. But, as the suits step in and ask for a more subdued
approach, the focus group quickly loses interest, and the drivers,
they just keep being themselves.
Featuring the all-new 2022 GR86, drift racing versions of GR
Supras and TGR-NA Drivers Frederic Aasbø, Ken Gushi and Jhonnattan Castro at the wheel,
the cars whip between the mundane and fantastic. From a
white-knuckle slide into a parking spot to a snooze inducing crawl
into one, the drivers and customers alike yearn for the cars to
show their true colors.
Shopping at GR Speed
"The Focus Group" is a four-minute spot that was shot in the
dusty corridors of an abandoned shopping center in the Chicago suburbs. Created by Sweatpants Media
in partnership with Toyota Gazoo Racing, an intricate three-day
shoot in frosty winter temperatures filled the empty spaces with
the squeal of tires as professional drivers carefully navigated the
mall hallways.
"After such a fun and successful shoot with Toyota for the Supra
doing 'The Pitch,' we were excited to team up again to make a
follow-up for the GR86," said producer Elliot Blanco. "We wanted a unique location for
this one, and we're so lucky to have found an abandoned mall
outside of Chicago. With the
perfect location, amazing cars and amazing drivers, we were able to
push them to the limit and make an incredibly epic film; we can't
wait for the next one!"
Sweatpants created both "Pitch" spots, directed by Alberto Blanco and creative director
Mike Zeller, to show how the all-new
GR86 symbolizes self-expression with a fun-to-drive, stylish sports
car. In "The Focus Group," authentic self-expression is exhibited
through skilled driving and delighted focus group members. While
mundane driving results in a case of instant boredom.
Media Campaign
Placements
The GR86 "Focus Group" installment and "The Pitch" is a social
campaign extending across social media and digital video placements
targeting auto enthusiasts and sports car intenders. Toyota will
share the spot across their Toyota USA owned media social platforms on Facebook,
Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. "The Focus Group" and "The
Pitch" are also available for viewing on the GR Family page on
Toyota.com.
"The Pitch" campaign was developed considering the transcultural
mainstream audiences across America. Toyota campaigns are
integrated through one strategic brief, creative idea and media
plan – and create a cohesive marketing approach inclusive of
multicultural marketing and the total market model.
The campaign's digital emphasis consists of paid social
placements with a mix of native video and video link
advertisements. The full four-minute piece will run exclusively on
YouTube. The digital campaign will run through April and May, just
as the spring driving season gets under way in the northern half of
the U.S.
To watch the video, please click here.
About the 2022 GR 86
The all-new 2022 Toyota GR86, the new generation of
Toyota's driver's car, brings affordable sports car fun, all with a
larger 2.4-liter engine that delivers improved 0-60 times.
Available in two grades, the all-new GR86 features a redesigned
interior and exterior with a starting Manufacturer's Suggested
Retail Price (MSRP) of just $27,700.
Available at Toyota dealerships now, the thrills are just around
the corner with the all-new 2022 GR86.
Key features include:
- Precision handling, low center of gravity and near perfect
balance
- Available in a choice of 6-speed manual or paddle shifted
6-speed automatic transmission
- 2.4L flat-four engine rewards drivers with an improved torque
curve throughout the rev range
- Functional vents and air outlets maximize handling
precision
- Updated interior features new seating, 7-in. digital instrument
cluster and multimedia system
- Complimentary 1-year membership to the National Auto Sport
Association (NASA) with 1 High Performance Driving Event
(HPDE)
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing embodies Toyota's commitment to overcoming
every limit to make 'ever-better' cars, forge new technologies and
find mobility solutions under the extreme conditions of
motorsports. Competing on every kind of road, no matter what the
challenge, inspires TOYOTA GAZOO Racing to continuously improve the
quality of all Toyota vehicles and engineer Toyota's future DNA
that brings freedom, adventure and the joy of driving to everyone.
For more information, visit www.toyotagazooracing.com.
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the
U.S. for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing
sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus
brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships.
Toyota directly employs more than 39,000 people in the U.S. who
have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly
32 million cars and trucks at our nine manufacturing plants. By
2025, Toyota's 10th plant in North
Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for
electrified vehicles. With the more electrified vehicles on
the road than any other automaker, a quarter of the company's 2021
U.S. sales were electrified.
To help inspire the next generation for a career in STEM-based
fields, including mobility, Toyota launched its virtual education
hub at www.TourToyota.com with an immersive experience and chance
to virtually visit many of our U.S. manufacturing facilities. The
hub also includes a series of free STEM-based lessons and
curriculum through Toyota USA
Foundation partners, virtual field trips and more. For more
information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.
Media Contact:
Paul Hogard
469-292-6791
paul.hogard@toyota.com
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/drifting-in-a-mall-toyotas-pitch-part-ii-takes-another-turn-at-car-ads-301508259.html
SOURCE Toyota Motor North America