Toyota’s heartwarming holiday spots focus on acts of kindness
The pair of ads, one targeting Hispanic consumers, show the strength of both friendships and family ties
Editor's Pick
Toyota is putting the spotlight on togetherness for its 2022 holiday campaign, unveiling a heartwarming pair of commercials this week that underscore just how family and friends can unite to make the Christmas season a meaningful one.
Dubbed “Like No One’s Watching,” the first ad was created by Saatchi & Saatchi Los Angeles, the automaker’s longtime agency of record, and stars Clara, a selfless cashier who works over the holidays and expects to spend Christmas alone before being surrounded by her loving neighbors (and customers) who’ve been impacted by her acts of kindness.
The friendship-themed spot was directed by “Hidden Figures” creator and Oscar nominee Ted Melfi and debuted earlier this week in its 60-second format during NBC’s “Christmas in Rockefeller Center” TV special.
The long-form version of the ad will also air on NBC properties including during the “Today” show on Thursday, Dec. 1, and Sunday Night Football on Sunday, Dec. 4, the company confirmed. An abridged 30-second cut of “Like No One’s Watching” will then roll out nationally on Dec. 10 with integrations on TV, in movie theaters and on out-of-home platforms.
The second commercial, titled “The Search,” uses both English and Spanish dialogue and focuses on a young girl and her "abuelo" searching for Santa’s house in the snowy woods. But after mistakenly navigating to a woman’s cabin, the grandfather suggests that the girl’s hand-drawn map may be upside down, and the two continue their search.
The ad closes with the Spanish-language tagline “Juntos la magia existe,” or “Together magic exists” in English.
Created by Conill Advertising, the 60-second spot geared towards Hispanic consumers plugs Toyota’s Sequoia SUV. Both 60- and 30-second versions will run on TV via networks including Univision, Telemundo and Discovery en Español, as well as in theaters from Dec. 16 through Dec. 29.
“Toyota’s holiday message focuses on simple acts of kindness and encourages people to connect with their communities this holiday season,” Lisa Materazzo, group VP of Toyota marketing for Toyota Motor North America, said in a statement. “We hope this heartwarming message will inspire viewers to spread kindness, during the holidays and beyond.”
Anyone even remotely familiar with Toyota’s advertising will likely recognize that heartwarming themes and stories of perseverance and generosity tend to take center stage in its marquee ads, with its actual vehicles sometimes being little more than well-placed props—as was the case with Toyota’s holiday marketing push last year.
In fact, 2021’s seasonal campaign bears some striking resemblances to what Toyota is up to now. Last year, the company also created a pair of ads: one titled “Bookstore” from Saatchi & Saatchi that was also directed by Ted Melfi, and one Hispanic-centric spot known as “Nora’s Joy” that was created by Conill.
In step with Toyota’s holiday campaign rollout, the company is also partnering with the National Center for Families Learning and the Kids In Need Foundation to provide supply boxes for teachers at five “under-resourced” school districts that’ll include notebooks, pencils, folders and more, the company said.
Credits
- Date
- Dec 02, 2022
- Client :
- Toyota
- Agency :
- Saatchi & Saatchi-LA
- Chief Creative Officer :
- Jason Schragger
- Group Creative Director :
- Sandra Luciano
- Group Creative Director :
- Leo Circo
- ACD Art Director :
- Logan Sheets
- ACD Copywriter :
- Tess Maguire
- Chief Production Officer :
- Lalita Koehler
- Group Director of Content Production :
- Dogan Dattilo
- Director of Content Production :
- Pamela Parsons
- Director of Content Production :
- Rodrigo Vargas
- Retail Executive Producer :
- Jennifer Vogtmann
- Executive Producer :
- Richard Bendetti
- Senior Content Producer :
- Grace Wang
- Senior Music Supervisor :
- Kristen Hosack
- Music Coordinator :
- Tanisha Edwards
- Associate Content Producer :
- Alex Hernandez
- Agency Communications Director :
- Paula Adams
- Managing Director :
- Al Reid
- Management Director :
- Erica Baker
- Client Operations Lead :
- Lauren Messina
- Management Supervisor :
- Brooke Boston
- Client Partnership Supervisor :
- Natasha Walker
- Client Partnership Manager :
- Marc Villanueva
- Client Partnership Assistant Manager :
- Rose Eliz
- Client Partnership Coordinator :
- Nick Han
- Chief Strategy Officer :
- Mark Turner
- Client Partner Product Information :
- Rey Raymundo
- Executive Communications Director :
- John Lisko
- Group Director Earned Media & Public Relations :
- Jana Hartline
- Director PR :
- Kimberly Harms
- Director Broadcast Traffic :
- Nadzyah Guillermo
- Director Business Affairs :
- Linda Daubson
- Senior Business Affairs Manager :
- Kathi Bolliger
- Group Vice President, Marketing :
- Lisa Materazzo
- Vice President Vehicle Marketing & Communications :
- Michael Tripp
- National Manager :
- Shawn Caso
- Manager :
- Tye Cannon
- Planner :
- Davina Hobbs
- Production Company :
- Brother.TV
- Executive Producer :
- Rich Carter
- Managing Partner :
- Rich Carter
- Producer :
- Marsie Wallach
- Director :
- Ted Melfi
- Director of Photography :
- Newton Thomas Seigel
- Editing Company :
- ARCADE
- Executive Producer :
- Crissy DeSimone
- Producer :
- Wendy Umanzor
- Editor :
- Kim Bica
- Assistant Editor :
- Paulo Miramontes
- Telecine/Color Grade :
- Company 3
- Color Artist :
- Jill Bogdanowicz
- Finishing / VFX :
- Framestore
- Creative Director :
- Christian Nielsen
- Senior Producer :
- Susan Harris
- VFX Supervisor/Shoot Supervisor :
- Chris Beers
- Finishing Producer :
- Jose Alvarado
- Executive Producer :
- Brittney Walker
- Music Arrangement & Composition :
- Andrew Simple
- Sound Design :
- Lime Studios
- Mix :
- Lime Studios
- Agency :
- Conill
- Chief Creative Officer :
- Veronica Elizondo
- ACD Art Director :
- Alejandro Egozcue
- ACD Copywriter :
- Nicolas Soto
- ACD Copywriter :
- Daniel Del Toro
- VP Director of Production :
- Carlos Barciela
- Director Content Production :
- Krysta Rosales
- Sr Producer :
- Amber Ventris
- VP Director Business Affairs :
- Valentina Dostal
- Business Affairs Supervisor :
- Maria Bardales
- SVP/Director of Team, Content and Platform :
- Sandy Mayer
- Project Manager :
- Jacob Munoz
- Managing Director :
- Ana Rodriguez
- VP Management Director :
- Anabel Ordonez
- Account Director :
- Courtney Corbett
- Account Supervisor :
- Callie Parish
- Account Executive :
- Andy Garcia
- VP Media Director :
- Diana Stumvoll
- Group Media Director :
- William Formeca
- Media Supervisor :
- Alexandra Contreras
- Associate Media Director :
- Nancy Bueno-Shoats
- Chief Strategy Officer :
- Laura Semple
- VP Group Director of Strategic Planning :
- Alejandro Oszust
- Associate Planning Director :
- Caroline Hayward
- SVP Chief Communications Officer :
- Chris Traina
- Director of PR :
- Delia Lopez
- Senior Manager :
- Shawn Caso
- Manager :
- Tye Cannon
- Retail Analyst :
- Davina Hobbs
- General Manager :
- Scott Wracher
- Production Company :
- The Corner Shop
- Director :
- Peter Thwaites
- Director of Photography :
- Adam Arkapaw
- Production Designer :
- Brock Houghton
- Executive Producer :
- Jay Shapiro
- Line Producer :
- Susie Greene-Tedesco
- Editing Company :
- Work Editorial
- Editor :
- Stewart Reeves
- Executive Producer :
- Remy Foxx
- Producer :
- Gabrielle Page
- Assistant Editor :
- Jennifer Losch
- Color Grade :
- Company 3
- Color Artist :
- Tom Poole
- Senior Producer Short Form :
- Shannen Trout
- Executive Producer :
- Connor Callaghan
- VFX & Finishing :
- Company 3
- Lead Flame Artist :
- Wensen Ho
- VFX Supervisor :
- Vernon Wilbert
- Flame Artist :
- Sean Wilson
- Flame Artist :
- Cecile Tecson
- Matte Painting :
- Brandon Rachel
- Lead CG :
- Kyle Martin
- Set Supervisor :
- John Goffoni
- Finishing Producer :
- Brian Buxton
- Executive Producer :
- Connor Callaghan
- Music Arrangement & Composition :
- Asche & Spencer
- Sound Company :
- Lime Studios
- Sound Design :
- Michael Anastasi
- Sound Mix :
- Dave Wagg
- Producer :
- Cassie Underwood
- Producer :
- Michael Baran
- Executive Producer :
- Susie Boyajan
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