Featured Toyota Releases Official Campaign Teaser 'Heck on Wheels' Leading Up to Super Bowl 50

Not sure I like the commercial. I get it, I just think it helps sell the Prius. I have had my Gen2 for over 7 years. My 2007 has 141k miles on it. When I first bought it I was a career FF/Medic. One Prius in a parking lot full of big pick ups. Yeah, I got ribbed a lot. Firefighters are a unique bunch with a unique brand of humor. No, I'm not gay. No, I'm not a treehugger. No, I'm totally NOT a Liberal.
When they asked "Why a Prius??" I'd take them for a ride. I showed them how "Techy" it was. Cool. I'd show them 50+ MPG....wow. I'd show them how much room it had. Wow. I'd show them that it was not sluggish, and how I could pass easily and constantly drive 10 miles over the limit....and who cares if you have a heavy foot when the MPG is so good.
I often thought, "Why doesn't Toyota get it...why do not not know how to sell this thing??"
Fast forward a few years to the present. I am now retired, and started a thriving Home Inspection business......in my Prius. Folks are shocked when I show up in a Prius. I show them how it easily handles ALL my tools, and THREE ladders. A 20' Telescoping ladder, a 17' little Giant ladder and a smaller ladder. I love this car. Jeff Dunham, Jeff Foxworthy, etc,etc, can make fun of it but my Prius does not owe me a thing and it's been one of the best cars I've owned. Too bad Toyota doesn't know how to sell it here.....

 

Just saw this not sure if this goes here or already posted.

 

nothings gonna help at <2 bucks a gallon. let's face it people, what advertising is going to draw in suv and pick up truck drivers?


love it. best prius commercial eva!

 

Personally I found it very funny and creative.
I suspect most of the current 3% hybrid market would agree.

As far as marketing to a wider audience, I think it does nothing but to acknowledge, and reinforce Bob Lutz's comment years ago about the Prius being a "geek-mobile".

 

gonna be tough to pull in those rolling coalers.

 

Oh, I don't think we will ever pull them in.
I just want to get the Camry, and Accord, and Malibu drivers.

 

Sure, I agree with this.
Just because I say, this is what I think Negative Prius people will think watching that commercial, doesn't mean I CARE what they think.
Obviously I don't think Toyota needs to reach the two extremes, that is US...Prius Owners...or "Cretins" or I'll say diplomatically, those that would never own a Prius. The idea is to reach the vast audience in the middle. The uninitiated, the young, those that WOULD consider a Prius, but perhaps did believe enough of the stereotypes of Prius, and Prius ownership to believe that The Prius was a compromise as a vehicle.

I should say, I don't think it's a bad ad. I just think it could be better.

I would also say this, I'm somewhat surprised that this "type" of ad, is what Toyota has chosen to go with on Superbowl Sunday. As the thus far, the presentation of the Gen 4 Prius has been IMO been "hillariously"- serious. With Toyota screeching tires, and/or presenting the Prius in a fashion model scenario.

I give Toyota kudos for lightening up, and trying to be humorous.

I was perhaps too harsh in my initial reaction. There are a lot things that work with that commercial. I just think the overall tone, could of been better.

My reaction is that it's almost a "Walter Mitty" type of tone that Toyota is trying to portray. And IMO the key to Walter Mitty, is that the "Dream" was ultimately real. That is Walter Mitty despite the daydreaming and musing REALLY was brave, intelligent and many of the things he mused about being.

This is almost reversed in the commercial. You get the feeling watching it, that the Tupperware Sandwich Lunch, 9-5, Cat Kisser...is the reality, and the Rock and Roll, "Heck" on Wheels guy is the total fantasy. And I think you could fix that, by just tweaking some of the parody. Embracing a REAL- slightly edgier tone.

Feel free to ignore all this as I'm probably over analyzing....and if you excuse me, My Sandwich is going stale, my cat needs to be fed, and I have to lay out my clothes for work tomorrow.

 

Don't forget to set the coffee maker and rinse out the Toyologo mug.

 

i think most of the viewers (football!) will miss this subtle reference.

in my simplistic view toyota should just talk how it's inexpensive, high MPG, and very reliable.

this worked well for Koreans, even though they lied through their teeth. how come toyota is afraid to talk about positives and instead highlights negatives? it just blows my mind how silly it is.

 

actually, they ran the 50mpg ads around here, not too long ago. but gas was more expensive then.

 

Super Bowl Ads: How VW&#039;s The Force Changed Advertising
can't say the ad quality approached vws. I would not call the prius or pasat stylish. I don't think vw ever advertised it was green, but maybe I missed that. All the vw owners I know are women, so the pre release super bowl ads with a strange kid may work well for them.

I just don't think the way to sell the car to potential new customers is to call them cat kissing, chai sipping, truck insulting, ... Maybe with the move to texas toyota will change ad agencies. This LA based satchi really is clueless on how to sell the Prius.

 

Get ready to cringe....

 

Frank, I probably could have a couple of people follow you for a couple of days filming with iphones and do a better commercial. I don't think the satchi folks have a clue how to sell it.

 

Could be worse and has been worse...

"Sweep the Leg" was all I could think about.

 

Funny commercial.

 

let's face it, no one knows how to sell alt fuel vehicles in this environment.

 

IMHO some of these toyota commercials are much worse than no advertising at all. I mean people know about the prius. Did butt face really explain the prius family, or was a Wth is toyota doing. Would The head of toyota north america be talking about killing the family if it worked with consumers or dealers? Do we really need this chai drinking, cat kissing, truck insulting, anal retentive fantasy? Who would watch that ad and want a prius other than someone that already wanted one.

I really do think a simple non sterotypical prius driver talking about what he likes about the car would be a lot more effective. Didn't word of mouth sell a lot more prii than the realy really bad ads? I really thought satchi was trying to good naturdly make fun of prius drivers and talk about what has changed about the car, but ..... What I really saw was a charchature of prius drivers that most can not identify with, a no no in marketing when you are trying to sell. The charactature of the as&hole spraying water on the evil truck didn't show good handling, or kick &s* fun to drive, it looked like the guy driving in the left lane too slow to make sure other people couldn't drive fast. Maybe it works better on the east coast than texas, but we wave when we cut someone off, and don't waste water here.

 

there have been simple prius tv ads around here in the past. people talking 50 mpg, roominess and reliability. they don't get much attention though.

as much as we may like this ad or that ad, selling alt fuel vehicles is like selling refrigerators to eskimos.

 

yes, it was, but truth is truth.

.