ABOUT

The Challenge
Amid a competitive market, Toyota (GB) plc set us the challenge of boosting awareness and purchase consideration of the new Toyota Corolla. They wanted to connect authentically with audiences on a personal level. They asked for a campaign that would help build a bridge between the product and a community of family car buyers - all while paving the way for a larger advertising push slated for the start of 2025. The expectation was the creation of a campaign would resonate strongly on social channels and deliver a powerful PR opportunity.

Strategic Insight
The campaign leveraged key insights about its target audience of young families, noting their values of progressiveness and community connections. The campaign also sought to engage with a community that would celebrate "built in Britain" and Toyota's renowned manufacturing expertise. This multi-generational appeal emphasised both the core values and innovations of the Corolla model.

Concept
Our research (via google, quant, qual) showed that buying a family car is something that involves the opinions of the whole family, so what better way to highlight the Corolla's appeal than with a group of expert kids. To cover our "Built in Britain" angle, we headed to the very factory in which the cars we wanted to showcase were built - and took the decision to cast the children of the teams actually making the cars to deliver our reviews...
In total, there were five cars we needed to cover... meaning multiple "scripts" and set-ups, designed to meet Toyota's requirements for the campaign.
To drive authenticity and engagement, we wanted to provide the opportunity for our team of experts to really show off what mattered to a busy family on the move in an engaging way... Setting practical challenges, technology teasers and "taskmaster" style beat-the-clock physical tests. For example, what would today’s children make of the cars of 30 years ago? Just how fast can a group of teens pair their phones to a car's media system, and can any of them read a map? For for the answers, watch the films.

Creative Execution
The execution embraced a narrative-led approach by featuring children interacting with various Corolla models. Guided by children’s TV presenter Grace Webb, these interactions were curated, but unscripted, allowing for genuine expressions that highlighted both humour and the car’s advanced features. Additionally, these elements were tailored to foster community pride, with scenes involving factory employees and children, thus reinforcing the community’s role in this manufacturing success story.

Results
PR Coverage
Coverage in Daily Mail

Reach and Results
This summary of the PR and social media coverage for the Corolla Campaign was conducted from October 24th to December 4th, 2024. Here are the main highlights:

Overview of Activity: The campaign featured prominently with a double-page spread in The Sun, valued at an estimated £45,000 due to its unique “Kids review cars” segment. It engaged multiple sectors, including corporate, auto, mainstream, industry, lifestyle, and tech, achieving a reach of approximately 17 million people.

PR Impact: As of December 4, 2024, the campaign had achieved 32 pieces of press coverage and generated 12 million opportunities to see (OTS). Key stories included Corolla "built in britain" and coverage of children testing technology from Toyota models spanning different eras.

Social Media Impact: The campaign reached a total audience of about 4.7 million across social media platforms, with Instagram accounting for the largest share at 2.3 million.

Media Headlines: Significant coverage in major outlets such as The Sun and Derby Telegraph celebrated Toyota’s feat of manufacturing its five-millionth car in the UK.

Coverage Sources: Key publications and sites that featured the campaign include Yahoo, Daily Mail and The Express - furthering our PR reach.