Ever since gas jumped up to $2.50 a gallon, I find that most of the car commercials focus on one of three similar aspects.
1. They are promoting how inexpensive it is to own one of their lovely SUVs or trucks.
2. They are promoting how gas efficient their cars, vans and small SUVs are.
3. They are promoting their new hybrid.
While I have no problems with car companies promoting these items, I felt like it doesn’t matter what commercial I am watching, they all look the same. A few weeks ago, however, I found one company and, more specifically, one car that changed the way I viewed car commercials.
Toyota has been focusing on fuel efficient cars long before gas prices began to soar. Their Prius was one of the first hybrid cars on the road that was fuel efficient, but also didn’t have to be plugged into an outlet every night. A few people snatched them up before gas was ridiculous in price, but within the past few months I have seen more on the road than ever before. This could be because of the realities of the world that we now live in (oh how I wish that gas could once again be 99 cents a gallon), but I would like to believe it is because of their amazing advertising strategy.
For months now Toyota has not been focusing on one of the three strategies from above. Most everyone knows the benefits of owning a Prius, so Toyota finally allowed their advertising to be creative! The ad that caught my attention, I’ve now learned is called, “Harmony.” It is one of two new ads that Toyota has created to promote its third generation Prius. After doing a bit of research, I found that others loved the ad as much as I did because it actually ranked 3rd in the Nielson’s Top 10 Most Liked Ads list for the month of May.
But what makes this ad so special? I believe it has something to do with the simplicity and creativity of the ad. Toyota could have had the Prius driving through a beautiful field, with a voice over informing people of the benefits of this car, but instead they created a scene that wows the viewer with a feeling of “how did they do that?”
The commercial uses people as grass, trees, flowers, water, clouds, buildings, etc. instead of an actual country background. The use of people creates a feeling of the Prius being one with us, but also one with nature. A sweet song plays as the car goes gliding through this fun country side that almost reminds me of the Wizard of Oz. From what I remember, no one is talking while the car drives, and at the end the word “prius” pops up. Creative and simplistic in it’s “message”, yet memorable; few car companies can say that they have created an ad that is as perfect as Toyota’s is.
When you advertise, no matter how large or small, that is what you need to look for. Your logo or ad doesn’t have to be over the top. Simplicity is so underrated in advertising these days, and many are copying the competition to save advertising dollars. If you allow your ad to be creative, and not just follow the opposition, your simplistic message will shine through. If it worked for Toyota against their competitors, it can work for you!
