Toyota New Zealand has apparently created a bit of a stir on the roads of Aotearoa with its HiLux Hybrid pulling a four-metre-tall steel sign weighing 3.5 tonnes on a three-axle trailer.
The signs reads ‘JUST A HILUX HYBRID TOWING A 3.5 TONNE HEADLINE’ and is the centrepiece of an advertising campaign for the new 2024 Hilux range, which are now exclusively all Hybrids.
Susanne Hardy, assistant vice president, Toyota New Zealand explains, “Introducing Hybrid to Hilux is the first small step in the Hilux journey to cleaner energy. We know that the Hilux Hybrid is as capable, if not more capable than its predecessor. This campaign is about showcasing the grunt and reliability of the Hilux Hybrid that our customers expect from a Hilux. And of course, that it absolutely delivers.”
The 3.5 tonne headline looks as much a kind of brutalist sculpture as it does a piece of mobile out-of-home. You might not call it beautiful, but it’s certainly stunning.
The design by Ben Lockwood of Craftshop was engineered by Andrew Turney from Gyro in a warehouse west of Auckland. It took two months to build using tonnes of steel, 974 bolts, and 6512 spot welds, before being mounted on the purpose-built 6-metre-long trailer.
The headline is really in fact two, as it was replicated and set back-to-back to be read from either side. The trailer was towed to the local weighing station to check both its road worthiness and legitimise its big headline’s claim.
Steve Cochran, CCO at Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand says, “I loved this idea the moment I saw it. A mobile billboard isn’t anything new, but a headline that is literally a product demonstration is super surprising. Yes, it’s a little meta, but if the reaction it gets on highways with people winding down windows to take photos is anything to go on, we think it’ll be just as popular as past Hilux campaigns.”
So far, the headline has already been towed to many locations for content filming. However, it’s now headed out on tour to events including A&P shows all around the country for the next few months. A media partnership with The Rock will also see it turning up at various locations and dealerships throughout both islands (it’s booked to go on the inter-island ferry). Online content will be posted along the way using the handle #hiluxhybridtour. The trailer acts as the headline in traditional large format OOH, and features in short-form videos, one of which shows how it was made, something the target audience of farmers and tradies will be quite curious about.
Cochran says, “This campaign didn’t have the budget for a big traditional awareness campaign, but the brief was to make Hilux Hybrid famous in every New Zealand rural community. We’re pretty chuffed that the 3.5 tonne headline is literally on the road to do that.”
CREDITS
Toyota New Zealand
Client: Toyota New Zealand Limited
Assistance Vice President – Customer Group, Executive: Susanne Hardy
Manager, Marketing Operations: Jamie How
Associate Manager, Marketing: Katie Craven
Product Marketing Specialist/ Marketing: Phoebe Nicholls
Manager Conversions & Accessories: Clint Beaumont
Saatchi & Saatchi NZ
Creative Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi NZ
Chief Executive Officer: Mark Cochrane
Chief Creative Officer: Steve Cochran
Executive Creative Director: Lee Sunter
Senior Art Director: Cece Chu
Senior Copywriter: Ryan Price
Content Creator: Nelson Rayner
General Manager: Susie Darling
Senior Business Director: Kate Gyde
Senior Business Manager: Renee Prasad
Executive Agency Producer: Jane Mill
Gyro Constructivists
Constructivist: Andrew Turney
Toybox
Production Company: Toybox
Director / DOP / Stills: Dan Max
Producer: Nanette Miles
Music: Ghost Riders in the Sky – Performed by Troy Kingi & Tami Neilson
Spark Foundry
Media Agency: Spark Foundry
Managing Director: Nicky Greville
Client Partner: Kelly Rosnell-Shand
Media – Business Directors: Toby Yonge, Stacey Stephenson
