The Mommy & Daddy Like and Swagger Wagon campaigns are brilliant uses of web video for a brand trying to change their image or the image of one of their products. If you haven't seen it, you're not necessarily alone, but there are millions who have."Toyota teamed with comedy director Jody Hill to create a series of Web videos featuring two self-absorbed parents and the only vehicle that matches their awesomeness, the all new Sienna - the first minivan made with adults' minds in mind."
What is the Swagger Wagon?
Look at the comments both on Facebook and YouTube:
- toyota for me has always been the most boring company in the entire world (since they dropped the supra) but this ad made me see it in a different way, not that I'd buy a Corolla or anything... Well planned
Congrats! - why is this not on tv? this alone would give a big boost to your sales, this is one of the best videos/commercials i have ever seen in my life...............................
- These are so hilarious! Creatively written and the execution is fabulous! Great job family!!!! (And Toyota!)
- seriously tho i really hate toyota but they have an epicly awesome marketing company
- This is seriously the most creative awesome commercial for a minivan! I gotta hand it to toyota, very funny. Love it!
- Brilliant! You need to put these on national television...
- As a professional man who grew up in the hood, I am going old school and will give this commercial the "dope" label. A+ to the ad agency who came up with this. They more than earned their money. This should have been a SuperBowl Commercial.
Sure, the grammar of many YouTube and Facebook commenters may lack something, but it's clear that Toyota has found a new avenue through web video. These videos are edgy, self-reflective, irreverent, funny and most importantly sustainable and scalable. The style works right now, taking the lead of newer "mockumentary" TV series' such as The Office and Modern Family. People have become accustomed to living vicariously through the family, and people can see a little of themselves in the characters, which makes the series relatable. It's also set up to be extended as long as there is creative to be written, and with actress Rachael Drummond pregnant in real-life, I would hope Toyota is writing a new storyline around her pregnancy.
The campaign is integrated. You can easily access the Toyota website to Build Your Swagger Wagon and get more information on the vehicle, as well as find other social networks on which the Sienna has a presence, primarily www.youtube.com/sienna & www.facebook.com/sienna. The sentiment around the product on Twitter has also been primarily positive, though mainly about the campaign itself, rather than the vehicle, which was likely the purpose of the campaign. This is clearly a branding campaign rather than one to drive immediate sales. There is no mention of pricing, deals or special programs.
And for those of you asking about the impact of ROI, well as loathe as agencies and companies are to share this info, there is no current information; but for positive brand sentiment, it's killing. Over 2.4 million views to date of the Swagger Wagon music video and thousands of links on Twitter and Facebook, the spread of the new brand for the Sienna is improving.
What do you think, love it, hate it, something else? Let me know.
