Toyota Australia has launched ‘Hitch the HiLux’ and the ‘GREAT Aussie Road Trip’, a six-part children’s book series encouraging family bonding through the ritual of bedtime stories.
Produced by media agency Spark Foundry Australia, content agency Medium Rare and News Corp Australia, the series follows Hitch the HiLux and his dog, Rocky, on a cross-country Australian road trip.
Each book sees Hitch and Rocky meet a new HiLux friend alongside native Australian animal families, celebrating the moments of adventure and connection that make family road trips unforgettable.
The campaign leans into the role HiLux plays in supporting the busy lives of young families by helping them to carve out calm, quality time together before bed.
Vin Naidoo, Toyota Australia chief marketing officer, said: “The HiLux has long been a part of the great Australian road trip, the vehicle families trust to head out on the road and make memories together. With Hitch the HiLux, we wanted to bring the same feeling of connection to bedtime, creating a simple ritual that helps parents and kids slow down and bond at the end of a long day.”
Rhonda Dunlop, national head of partnerships and integration at Spark Foundry, said: “Hitch the HiLux has been one of the most rewarding campaigns to bring to life, embedding Toyota into real family moments. It’s a deliberate choice to do something different, stepping outside the expected category playbook to focus on an idea that earns attention through connection. By engaging Australians during a ritual as meaningful as bedtime, we’re able to take families on a journey across Australia, celebrating familiar places and inspiring the next generation of HiLux families.”
The free books will be released periodically over the campaign period and mailed directly to households who subscribe via a dedicated online hub.
Launched via an editorial partnership with News Corp Australia, the campaign will also run across earned media, press, digital display and EDM.
The children’s book series follows the release of Toyota Australia’s newest campaign under the ‘Don’t Send a Ute to do a HiLux Job’ platform, developed with creative agency Saatchi & Saatchi Australia.
Hitch the HiLux and the Great Aussie Road Trip storybooks will be available until July 2026.
