Toyota HiLux shows just how far an Unbreakable Connection goes in latest ‘ghostly’ campaign via Saatchi & Saatchi Australia
For many, their trusty HiLux has become part of the family, so much so that Toyota wanted to dramatise just how deep this unbreakable connection goes in its latest integrated campaign via Saatchi & Saatchi Australia.
Since HiLux was first launched in Australia back in 1968, Australians have held a deep emotional connection to the vehicle. Generations of the HiLux model have been in Australia for over 50 years.
The campaign launched in the Toyota AFL Grand Final and will be rolled out across key channels, digital, OOH, radio and in-store.
Says Toyota Australia Chief Marketing Officer Vin Naidoo: “The place a Toyota HiLux holds in Australia is like no other. We love the Toyota HiLux, and we know Australia loves the Toyota HiLux, especially with what it has been able to deliver over the previous 50 years.”
Adds Simon Bagnasco, Head of Creativity, Saatchi & Saatchi Australia: “There has been a strong legacy of work for HiLux in Australia. We hope this work lives up to that legacy.”
Creative Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi Australia
Head of Creativity: Simon Bagnasco
Assoc. Creative Director: Kerem Serkerci
Creative: Jake Blood, Hannah Payton
Executive Producer & Head of TV + Content: Michael Demosthenous
Head of Design: Tod Duke-Yonge
Senior Integrated Producer: Holly De Roy
Chief Client Officer: Ben Court
Chief Strategic Officer: Alex Speakman
Group Business Director: Damiano Di Pietro
Snr. Business Director: Amelie Carpentier
Snr. Business Manager: Jessie Roper
Business Manager: Alex Karanicolas
Media: Spark Foundry
Production Company: Finch
Director: Benji Weinstein
EP: Corey Esse
Producer: Viv Jaspers
DoP: Jeremy Rouse
Production Manager: Lucy Sparke
1st AD: Jeremy Fitzgerald
Gaffer: Crispian Hayler
Key Grip: Luke Stone
Production Designer: Sherree Philips
Drone: Heliguy
Offline Editor: Drew Thompson
Post: Atticus
Music and Sound by MassiveMusic & Big Sync Music
Music Supervision: Michael Szumowsk
Executive Creative Director: Ramesh Sathiah
Composer: Haydn Walker
Sound Designer: Simon Kane
Executive Producer: Katrina Aquilia
Casting: Stevie Ray – McGregor Casting
Client: Toyota Motor Corporation Australia
Senior Manager – Brand Management & Communications: Andrew Wearing
Manager, Communications – Commercial & Brand: Kylie Graham
Senior Commercial Communications Coordinator: Brooke Butkiewicz
74 Comments
So dark I couldn’t see what was happening. Framing very functional. No build. Location felt wrong.
Swing and a miss. Couldn’t find anything about it I liked.
Felt like an award school ad to me. An untrue insight hyperbolised to the point of obscurity.
Swing and a miss from me too. Bring back the good old days of the unbreakable ads IMHO.
The brilliance of the original unbreakable work was that said something about the product that people actually give a shit about. The connection between man and ute was just the hook. This version is all hook with no point.
Just didn’t get there did it?
I like the premise of a ghost looking for car keys and choosing their favourite car. But it just lacked the funny bit or the touching bit or the reason for it. Assuming you won’t run a 90 on air it’s going to be interesting to see that cut down to a 30 and make any sense at all.
Na, just doesn’t feel like a Hilux ad and lacks the charm of all the previous work produced from Australia and NZ. It’s also very dark.
Bit of a shame really as this felt like a real opportunity for the Hilux.
Proper LOL’d at the ghost driver behind the wheel.
Automotive ads are so hard to make good these guys, and this one is really good.
Very well done.
I would have loved to be in the room when they discussed whether or not a ghost should need to wear a belt. Cause you know it happened!
Subpar execution
Not very good.
Got a lol out of me. Well done everyone.
I bet it’s the same person making negative comments under different anon.
This is a great ad, beautifully done by quality creatives.
You obviously have no experience on auto jobs. And worse, you can’t identify a good ad when you see it. You failed.
What is that end performance? So bad. I just can’t believe it.
The idea seems to have such range and it feels so undercooked.
Even the Hilux final shots make it look bad. Too much blue pumped in the grade.
I wanted to like it but I just couldn’t.
Hilux. You used to be cool.
Killer script, execution feels flat as hell
I think it’s just a convoluted concept. The gag of a ghost dad driving off in a Hilux is kind of cool. No idea how that relates to unbreakable even with the connection line thrown in. Just feels a bit messy and I’d love to see what it looks like on TV when it’s not 60 seconds long.
Saw it during the AFL Grand Final. I was more confused than Buddy Franklin catching a ball.
Catching A ball? Clearly hard core footy fan here.
That grade hurts my eyes. Even the still looks rough.
Funny, interesting, different. How many auto ads do you see heroing something other than the latest model? How many do you see that don’t have the typical smiling drive away shot?
Having worked on a fair share of auto clients, I know how hard it is to get something half decent up. This one can’t have been easy.
Haters gonna hate.
Made me laugh. Defo not the same as other ute ads out there.
I actually liked the ad. Definitely should have included a different image though and not just a screenshot from the ad.
I saw the 60” before the bounce and loved it! It was probably the last time I smiled that afternoon 🙁
I’m also convinced the negative comments are all coming from the one person. My guess is a disgruntled creative working on a dud auto client. But who cares.
Anyone with half a brain in this industry can see that this is a really good ad. Especially for the category.
Seriously doubt it. Did you deliberately misspell ‘ghastly’ in the press release?
Not meant to drink drive, spirits count, right?
But I like it.
Nice work Baggers! Saw this on TV last night. Loved it.
I mean come on Australian advertising – a ghost wearing a seatbelt. Truly?? That’s what i laughed about
That’s a request from the legal department if I’ve ever seen one
Just for a moment, consider the difficultly of convincing Australia’s top-selling automotive company to make an ad about a deceased father who takes a Hilux out for a spin at night, and then, only then, pass judgement.
This is hilariously dark, and deserves applause.
The casting is great.
The performances are sharp.
The music – and timing of it – is superb.
I don’t work for Saatchis or Toyota, but if anyone reading this does, please keep making more of this.
but missed the landing .
felt like you could build more suspense with way less characters , needed to streamline it.
shorter cut prob better
They’ve moved on from parent teacher ‘I’m a Hilux driver’ and lost teddy bear rubbish. It’s no ‘Bugger’ or ‘Baby come back’ but it is a comeback of sorts.
Featuring the only hilux currently available in Australia.
Severely damaging to a beloved Aussie brand. Just horribly bad, terribly sad and totally misguided on all fronts.
Not sure if it’s just Monday getting everyone down but holy moly you guys are sour.
It’s a funny idea that is better than 90% of the work in category. Can’t we just smile a bit and say ‘nice’.
The campaign platform might not ladder up perfectly but honestly who cares, we’ll all be dead like old mate before we know it.
I really like this, a nicely executed unexpected story. Good to see something fresh in this category.
Seriously!?
I mean the seatbelt is on…..no one?
What a miss.
I thought the ghost putting on the seatbelt was pretty funny.
Then you have set up the ghost driver idea, is there more?
Pretty sure that would have been a requirement. You obviously haven’t worked on an auto brand.
obviously a requirement. like two hands on a wheel but that isnt shown… cause its a ghost.
how would their legal approve that – who is driving the car. FFS!
There is so much negativity on this blog. I legit can’t understand what the problem with it is. It grabbed my attention and actually made me laugh. Putting the seatbelt on a ghost is a good gag. Dad loves his ute so much, his first and only mission as a ghost is to get into it again. What’s not to love? Simple. well written, good fun.
There’s a brand truth in this. Ghosts think they can walk through walls. Hilux drivers think they can drive through cars, or at least 0.04mm behind them until they change lanes. Did the driver die tailgating?
Compared to the over-worthy manifesto b*llshit the Aussie ad industry pumps out, this is great fun. Nice
And I work on automotive for a competitor. Thought this was decent
Nice work Jake + team.
Ignore the nonsense.
x
Stands out in a a sea of auto sameness. Job well done.
That’s all I have to say about that.
Is it the ghost of Spirko making off with a Hilux?
Feel like i haven’t seen a car ad with a story for ages. Liked it.
A message to the tard who has posted 20 negative comments. Yeah you. The same person. Mate, get a life, you flipping plonker. How can you sit there and write as 20 different aliases, without people knowing? Loser. Unemployed loser.
Cheers moit.
I’m all smiles. C’arn the catters.
I tend to agree with the negative comments. Nice production values, but for what? A very thin premise. This spot was doomed even before it was filmed.
And I don’t think it will stand up to repeated viewing, which has to be a requirement. Once you’ve seen this once, you’ve seen it.
For a really good Hilux spot I take you back to the one on the tropical island with the coconuts. At least that was true to the Unbreakable brand property and it was FUNNY. No, I worked on a lot of Toyota ads, but I didn’t do that one.
Your comments are as relevant as the spunk secreted from Herods nutsack – crusty and impotent
Lets make the next one with aliens stealing a car. Oh. Wait.
Such a great story though. Really different and so based around the tag line ‘Unbreakable’ that has been going for how many years?
This will really appeal to the market. hm.
Will connect Hilux with cars and death forever. And what car brand wouldn’t want that?
Seriously, wtf. Wtf does a ghost have to do with a Hilux?
Congratulations for making the most confusing and obscure ad of the year.
The negative comments in here are suspicious.
Fun idea. Well executed.
Well done S&S AU.
This is the only entertaining car commercial out there right now.The rest are embarrassing.Well done all involved.
There quite a few differing opinions in here. Some good points, some bad. The defensive ones are quite telling.
This is a stunning ad, with beautiful craft and an interesting plot. I sense jealousy in the comments…
Good to see safe driving from the ghost.
Car ads are hard. This is good. Agree on the darkness, but the 400 other neg comments are way off, IMO.
I really liked it. Makes me like Hilux.
Most good automotive ideas won’t get through Toyota’s nervous hall-monitor legal team. A Toyota ad with a car driven by the ghost of someone’s dead dad is an outstanding accomplishment.
A hard sell doesn’t make it a good spot. A lot of rookie comments above.
It’s decent in comparison to what usually gets approved by car clients these days.
We should honestly be asking why it’s so damn hard to get a good idea made in the car industry.
Very very done in poor taste. Gee they must be desperate. It’s not even the slightest bit funny.
What happened? Spill the tea, someone.
Liked the commercial, I laugh each time, when dad is crusin off in his favourite wheels
This ad resonates if you are from a family farm, love your dad and mum and know the importance of relying on good machinery very often to keep you alive. I’d say that’s a good portion of the target market. Well done in this case to Toyota.
Who is the dude ? He looks so familiar but idk who he is ??
That’ll be me when my time is up coming back to take my Hilux for one last time, yeah I have one of those good old school dual cabs, needless to say, I freakin’ LOVE this ad!!!!!!!
This one leaves me a bit cold.
In my opinion Toyota Australia are best to stick to more down-to-earth themes rather than delving in to the supernatural to sell a product. So to me to seemed like a waste of sponsorship spending.
Sorry.
Tasteless effort exceeded only by the latest effort in which a divorce settlement is used to set the scene. Grubby effort.