Car enthusiasts are drawn to the extreme capabilities of their performance machines, even if they’re not used. Toyota Australia and HERO are giving them a treat (albeit in line with the traditional car ad format). The car itself, the GR Yaris, has World Rally Championship engineering at its core, so it can tackle everything from the most unforgiving rally stages to the most regular weekday commute.
The campaign, Nice to Know It Could, gives enthusiasts the thrill of driving the car that can do that. Shot in Williamstown and Parwan Ride Park, the 60-second hero film merges suburban and rally worlds and includes a seven-metre-high fast-food drive-through window, only accessible via a mid-air jump, among other breathtaking stunts. Directed by Sam Walker of Exit Films, the spot shows off a high-intensity stunt driving set to Melbourne punk sensation, Amyl and The Sniffers’ track, Hertz.
The full campaign campaign spans TV, BVOD, SVOD, cinema, digital, OOH and social, supported by gamified environments and a behind-the-scenes content series.
Vin Naidoo, chief marketing officer, Toyota Australia, stated, “We set out to capture the exhilaration that comes with a car and driver moving as one. With the GR Yaris, that visceral connection is immediate and instinctive, turning even the most ordinary roads into something extraordinary. The film is our way of letting audiences experience that sensation for themselves, not just in what they see, but in what they feel, even though the stunts are out of the realms of possibility for everyday drivers.”
Shane Geffen, executive creative director, HERO, added, “You’d never need to push a performance car like the GR Yaris to its limits during everyday driving, but there’s comfort in knowing you could rather than needing it to. We’re proud to partner with Toyota and Exit to bring this insight to life in a bold and memorable way.”
Credits:
Client: Toyota Motor Corporation Australia
Chief Marketing OfficerL Vin Naidoo
Snr Manager, Brand Communications: Anthony Nobile
Manager Communications – GR Brand: Stephanie Naylor
Senior Brand Specialists – GR Brand: Suhailah O’Brien & Abbey Harrington
Brand Specialist: Alex Verduci
Agency: HERO
Executive Creative Director: Shane Geffen
Creative Director: Andrew Woodhead
Senior Art Directors: Mitchell Sutton & Kean Szczur
Senior Copywriter: Josh Campbell
Senior Art Director: Kean Szczur
Head of Production: Roz Scrimshaw
Head of Strategy: Ken Chan
Head of Studio & Finished Art: Dan Hickey
General Manager: Richard Hayes
Group Account Director: Gideon Nedas
Account Director: Annabel Ziegeler
Senior Account Manager:Issy Kelly
Production Company: Exit Films
Managing Partner: Wilf Sweetland
Producer: Alice Grant
Director: Sam Walker
DOP: Jeremy Rouse
Production Designer: Lucinda Thomson
Stunt Co-ordinator: Harry Dakanalis
Photography: Loveridge Productions
Producer: Natalie Loveridge
Photographer: Easton Chang
Assistant Photographer: Joshua Stunell
Retouching: Easton Chang
Casting: Nick Hamon Casting
Casting Director: Megan D’Arcy
Post-Production: The Editors & Alt VFX
Executive Producer: Eyvonne Carfora
Producer: Caroline Macleod
Colourist: Fergus Rotherham
Editor: Bernard Garry
Online Artist: Heather Galvin
VFX Supervisors: Juri Bryan & Bryn Morrow
Sound Design: Rumble Studios
Sound Engineer: Liam Annert
Producer: Bec Ivanov
Music: Charmed I’m Sure
Music Supervisor: Chris Chalmers
Original music: Hertz by Amyl & The Sniffers
Media Agency: Spark Foundry
Social Agency: Havas Red
Group Account Director: Joanne Ng
Account Director: Donna Flatman
Videographer: Paul Bradshaw
