Toyota all in on hybrid with major multi-agency campaign ‘This is Prius Now’

The ‘This is Prius Now’ campaign includes five new spots. Although a number of different agencies were involved in the joint effort, the series find harmony as each spot highlights the all-new 2023 Prius and Prius Prime, slated to hit dealerships in May.

“The new campaign showcases the transformed Prius in an entirely new light,” Lisa Materazzo, group vice-president of Toyota marketing at Toyota Motor North America, said in a statement. “The all-new Prius and Prius Prime’s styling, performance and high-tech features will redefine what customers think, feel and expect when they think of Prius.”

Creative agency Saatchi & Saatchi developed two spots, ‘Black Sheep’ and ’Shadow,’ with director Rich Lee of Framestore Pictures. ‘Black Sheep’ shows off the sleek look of a black Toyota Prius by contrasting it to an unlikely sighting of an urban landscape: a herd of white sheep.

Meanwhile, in a lighthearted spot called ‘Shadow,’ a crimson Prius finds itself in a high-speed chase with its own shadow, allowing its features and design to hold the spotlight.

Conill Advertising developed another playful spot in the lineup: ‘Buzz.’ Directed by Alan Masferrer, the ad follows passersby who spot the new Prius on the street. This generates a bit of a ‘buzz,’ as photos of the new car get sent from phone to phone.

InterTrend Communications developed the last two ads, ‘Reborn‘ and ‘Exhilarating,‘ with the help of director Brendan Vaughan. In ‘Reborn,‘ a Prius becomes an artist‘s muse, while the car becomes a source of inspiration for a DJ in ‘Exhilarating.‘

The campaign will span a variety of channels including linear TV, digital video, cinema, digital content, programmatic, out-of-home billboards and paid social. It will run during high-profile sports broadcasts, such as the NBA playoffs and finals, the MLB Sunday night games, and the NFL draft, among others. It will also run during popular programs like The Great North and Grey’s Anatomy.

Digital content will be deployed across HBO Max Sequential Stories, Hulu’s Taste the Nation, Peacock, Univision and more. The initiative will also be promoted through various partnerships – with the 2023 Met Gala, the Latin American Music Awards, Nylon, Forbes, Amazon and others.

For more, sign up for The Drum’s daily US newsletter here.