NEW YORK, Nov. 5, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Toyota today launched a new corporate advertising campaign, highlighting the company's economic impact, environmental commitment, and social responsibility. Built around the question "Why Not?," the campaign will include print and online ads, as well as a new television commercial directed by an Academy-award winning cinematographer.
Toyota will be the exclusive advertiser tonight on "NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams," where the television ad will debut.
"Since we began corporate advertising, we have focused on educating Americans about Toyota and our growing presence here," said Steve Sturm, group vice president of Toyota Motor North America. "But on our 50th anniversary in America, we have an opportunity to broaden our message and show how the core Toyota values drive everything that we do. People want to learn more about who we are as a company."
The campaign's new television commercial is based on the "Earth Art" movement, and features time-lapse photography of the creation of a Prius made from natural elements of the earth. The sculpture is built up and then over time, fades back into nature, leaving an empty field again.
The 30 and 60-second TV spots include a voice-over which reads: Can a car company grow in harmony with the environment? Why not? At Toyota, we're not only working toward cars with zero emissions, we're also striving for zero waste in everything else we do. Because the best way to have an impact on the environment is to have as little impact as possible.
The commercial was co-directed by Robert Richardson, who won Academy Awards for cinematography for "The Aviator" and "JFK," and Erich Joiner, who was involved in the iconic "Got Milk?" advertising campaign and won "Best Video of the Year" from MTV for Van Halen's "Right Now."
In addition, there are three new print ads being introduced, each focusing on one of the pillars of the campaign. The print ads will appear in more than 20 magazines, including Time, Newsweek, Fortune, Real Simple, and Architectural Digest.
* Economic impact: focuses on Toyota's new plant in San Antonio, Texas, which directly employs 2,000 people and adds thousands of other new jobs to the area. The headline reads: "Can a pickup give 2,000 people a lift? Why not?" * Environmental commitment: discusses Toyota's aspirations for zero emission vehicles and zero waste in its plants. The headline reads: "Can you have an impact by making none at all? Why not?" * Social responsibility: features Toyota's Driving Expectations Program, which teaches valuable defensive driving skills to teens and their parents. The headline reads: "Can the most important safety feature in a car be a teen driver? Why not?"
Additionally, the campaign launches today with a "vision" ad in major newspapers which outlines the philosophy of the campaign. The text of the ad reads:
WHY NOT? Two words that are filled with possibilities. They can turn a challenge into an opportunity. An obstacle into an inspiration. It's a question we ask ourselves at Toyota every day. Because we're continuously looking for new ways to improve what we do. By asking tough questions. Can we make a car that has zero emissions? Can we improve the economy of a community? Can we enrich the lives of people around us? Why not?
The online element of the campaign will also feature the television spot running on prominent websites such as nytimes.com, cnn.com, and msnbc.com. A microsite at www.toyota.com/whynot allows visitors to learn more about the campaign; see a "making-of" documentary on the new TV commercial; and learn more about other Toyota initiatives related to the pillars of the campaign.
In conjunction with the launch of the campaign, Toyota will be sponsoring NATURE on PBS -- as one of only two sponsors for the show. For 25 years, NATURE has been the benchmark of natural history programs on public television, capturing the splendors of the natural world, from the African plains to the Antarctic ice.
The campaign was created in collaboration with advertising agency Dentsu America, Inc. in New York. Commenting on the campaign, Tim Andree, chief executive officer, Dentsu America, said: "Between our prominent placement on NBC Nightly News and a coordinated print, TV and online presence, the media launch of this campaign will be bigger than anything we've ever done for Toyota's corporate advertising. Our strategy is reflective of how our target audience consumes media."
Toyota (NYSE:TM) established operations in North America in 1957 and will operate 15 manufacturing plants in North America by 2010. There are more than 1,700 Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealerships in North America which sold more than 2.8 million vehicles in 2006. Toyota directly employs over 42,000 in North America and its investment here is currently valued at more than $19 billion, including sales and manufacturing operations, research and development, financial services and design. Toyota's annual purchasing of parts, materials, goods and services from North American suppliers totals more than $30 billion. According to a 2005 Center for Automotive Research study, Toyota, along with its dealers and suppliers, has generated nearly 400,000 U.S. jobs, including jobs created through spending by direct, dealer and suppliers employees. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyota.com.
EDITORS NOTE: Copies of the print and television advertising are available for download at Toyota's media-only website: www.pressroom.toyota.com