Toyota's Olympics Campaign Evokes 'Hands Across America'
Automaker Says It Is Not Intentionally Alluding to 1986 Pop Culture Moment
Editor's Pick
Toyota does not take over as a global Olympics sponsor until next year. So for the Rio games, the automaker must still comply with strict trademark restrictions on Olympic phrases and imagery.
But in a new ad debuting during NBC's coverage of Friday night's opening ceremony, the automaker comes about as close as it can to portraying what looks like an Olympic ceremony without breaking the rules. The spot by Saatchi & Saatchi, L.A., opens with a medal ceremony, including three athletes on a podium. But keen observers will notice that the scene, which was shot in Morocco, depicts not the Olympics but a fictional event called the "friendship tournament," according to signs in the stadium.
The medal scene is only a small part of the TV commercial, which is part of a larger campaign themed "Stand Together." The spot goes on to show people holding hands in cities, neighborhoods, at a church, at a beach, in the desert and at a Toyota plant, accompanied by The Spencer Davis Group's "Gimme Some Lovin'" as a soundtrack. One scene shows plummeting skydivers holding hands.
The ad is evocative of the "Hands Across America" charitable event in 1986 that sought to create a human chain from New York to Southern California.
A Toyota spokesman said the marketer is not purposely recalling the 1986 event. But Toyota does have its own charitable component. The campaign will encourage people to create their own videos of people holding hands and share it on social media using "#LetsJoinHands." For each video, Toyota will donate $20 to United Way, up to $250,000. The marketer will also mix the user-generated content into pre-roll and social videos.
Read more about Toyota's campaign on Adage.com.
Credits
- Date
- Aug 05, 2016
- Brand :
- Toyota
- Client :
- Toyota
- Agency :
- Saatchi & Saatchi-Los Angeles
- Chief Creative Officer :
- Jason Schragger
- Executive Creative Director :
- Fabio Costa
- Creative Director :
- Leo Circo
- Creative Director :
- Chris Pierantozzi
- Associate Creative Director, Art Director :
- Kevin Schroeder
- Associate Creative Director, Art Director :
- Jeremy Carson
- Associate Creative Director, Copywriter :
- Randy Quan
- Associate Creative Director, Copywriter :
- Dan Sorgen
- Executive Director, Integrated Production and Operations :
- Lalita Koehler
- Director, Content :
- Sara Seibert
- Executive Content Producer :
- Pamela Parsons
- Senior Content Producer :
- Jennifer Vogtmann
- Content Producer :
- Marina Korzon
- Executive Digital Producer :
- Tarrah Barbour
- Associate Producer :
- Kat Olschnegger
- Business Affairs Director :
- Keli Christy
- Business Affairs Manager :
- Erin D'Angelo
- Project Manager :
- Angela Montoya
- Group Account Director :
- Steve Sluk
- Group Account Director :
- Bryan DeSena
- Account Director :
- Patrick Young
- Account Supervisor :
- Joshua Phillips
- Account Executive :
- Brad Sanders
- Assistant Account Executive :
- Kate Jensen
- Assistant Account Executive :
- Natalie Johnson
- Social Engagement :
- Allie Burrow
- Director, Public Relations :
- Mike Cooperman
- Group Planning Director :
- Evan Ferrari
- Senior Planner :
- Julienne Lin
- Senior Planner :
- Shaunt Halebian
- Executive Communications Director :
- John Lisko
- Director, Paid Media :
- Chris Nicholls
- Earned Media Director :
- Romina Bongiovanni
- Associate Director, Social Media :
- Karen Ram
- Social Media Supervisor :
- Talia DiDomenica
- Digital Media Supervisor :
- Helen Burdett
- Digital Media Supervisor :
- Sarah Buchalter
- Media Planner :
- Mitchell Gilbert
- Social Media Assistant :
- Patrick Butcher
- Group Vice President, Marketing :
- Jack Hollis
- Vice President, Marketing Communications :
- Cooper Ericksen
- Corporate Manager :
- Jim Mooney
- Corporate Manager :
- Scott Thompson
- Brand Communications Manager :
- Russ Koble
- National Manager :
- Mia Phillips
- Brand, Multicultural and Crossline Marketing Strategy :
- Mia Phillips
- Brand and Multicultural Manager :
- Landy Joe
- Social Media Marketing Manager :
- Florence Drakton
- Production Company :
- Anonymous Content
- Senior Executive Producer :
- Gina Zapata
- Executive Producer :
- SueEllen Clair
- Production :
- SueEllen Clair
- Head of Production :
- Kerry Haynie
- Line Producer :
- Brian Etting
- Director :
- Chris Sargent
- Director, Photography :
- Andre Chemetoff
- Editing Company :
- Work Editorial
- Executive Producer :
- Marlo Baird
- Producer :
- Tita Poe
- Editor :
- Stewart Reeves
- Assistant Editor :
- Brian Meagher
- Visual Effects :
- A52
- Visual Effects Supervisor :
- Andy McKenna
- CG Supervisor :
- Andy Wilkoff
- 2D Artist :
- Cameron Coombs
- 2D Artist :
- Michael Vagilenty
- 2D Artist :
- Adam Flynn
- 2D Artist :
- Rod Basham
- 2D Artist :
- Gavin Camp
- 2D Artist :
- Michael Plescia
- Finishing :
- Kevin Stokes
- Finishing :
- Gabe Sanchez
- Matte Painter :
- Dark Hoffman
- Matte Painter :
- Marissa Krupen
- 3D Artist :
- Tom Briggs
- 3D Artist :
- Dustin Mellum
- 3D Artist :
- Kirk Shintani
- 3D Artist :
- Josh Dyer
- 3D Artist :
- Jon Balcome
- 3D Artist :
- Manny Guizar
- 3D Artist :
- Michael Cardenas
- 3D Artist :
- Michael Bettinardi
- 3D Artist :
- Joseph Chiechi
- Animator :
- Earl Burnley
- Producer :
- Stacy Kessler-Aungst
- Head of Production :
- Kim B. Christensen
- Executive Producer :
- Patrick Nugent
- Telecine :
- A52
- Telecine :
- Paul Yacono
- Music :
- Gimme Some Lovin
- Music :
- Steve Winwood
- Music Supervision :
- SSLA
- Music Supervisor :
- Kristen Hosack
- Music Supervisor :
- Gems
- Sound Design :
- Barking Owl
- Mix :
- Formosa
- Mix :
- Peter Rincon
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