Toyota Hilux builds on success of Dakar campaign with cheeky new ad

8 January, 2019 - 08:03

Toyota South Africa and its long-standing agency, FCB Joburg, have enlisted the support of a world-renowned and very cheeky family to build on the success of 2018s Dakar campaign, for Dakar 2019.

The Dakar Rally is an annual rally raid organised by the Amaury Sport Organisation. Dakar 2019 consists of 12 days of intensive 4x4 driving through the desert and highlands of Peru. Toyota South Africas Dakar 2019 campaign showcases the extreme power and toughness of the bakkie, while rallying support for South Africas #TEAMHILUX.

But just which celebrity family is helping out?

Toyota SAs Hilux Brand and Advertising Manager, Lensha Dlamini, provides the background: The Toyota Hilux has been the market leader in South Africa for the most part of 50 years, and is respected for its legendary toughness. Part of claiming that its the tougher-est of the tough, is to prove it; which it does each year at the Dakar Rally.

Then theres the added benefit that the legendary toughness stands true for each and every Toyota, not just a Toyota Hilux. Toyota wont let you down. Completing the Dakar Rally is the ultimate way to show that.

FCB Joburg Creative Director, Tian van den Heever, picks up the story: For the 2018 Toyota Hilux Dakar campaign, FCB Joburg built a #TEAMHILUX brotherhood. Instead of a secret handshake, it capitalised on a move all Dakar Rally fans immediately recognised - the #TEAMHILUX nod.

Every time a rally driver and his navigator traverse an obstacle - a dune, an anthill, a donga - they respond physically. First, theres the widening of the eyes. Then, their heads tilt back before they wobble around uncontrollably as they land. We claimed this as the #TEAMHILUX nod in our 2018 ad as a mechanism to include all Toyota Hilux drivers in #TEAMHILUX, part of the family, so to say.

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The #TEAMHILUX nod was quickly adopted by many South Africans and used as a mark of acknowledgement from one to the other. In fact, Lensha recalls a scenario in which three border control guards gave her the #TEAMHILUX nod as she crossed the border between South Africa and Swaziland in her Toyota Hilux!

We decided to capitalise on the adoption of the nod for Dakar 2019, but brought in a much-loved family to help us up the appeal. Theyre no stranger to South Africas and the worlds screens, and are desert icons themselves. They are ... a family of meerkats! van den Heever laughs. Take a look at how they match the Toyota Hiluxs energy in the new TVC here: https://youtu.be/DzWWhSmGZNw.

A meerkat (Suricata suricatta) is a small mammal that lives in the Kalahari Desert in southern Africa. It is a member of the mongoose family. A group of meerkats are usually relatives, hence family.

The ad went live online on December 17 and launched on national television on December 26. It was shot on the sand dunes close to Mitchells Plain over two days. Post-production was done by Orchestra Blue, with animation by Sinister Studios.

Credits:

Client: Toyota South Africa

Brand: Toyota Hilux:

Brand and Advertising Manager: Lensha Dlamini

Creative agency: FCB Joburg

Executive Business Director: Reagen Kok

Account Director: Darren Morris

Creative Director: Tian van den Heever

Copywriter: Este de Beer

Art Director: Julie Thorogood

Strategic Planner: Stuart Sims

TV Producer: Iolanthe Grobler

Director: Tian van den Heever:

Post-production: Orchestra Blue

Animation: Sinister Studios

Audio and Sound design: Sterling Sound

Here is the Dakar 2018 ad which introduced the #TEAMHILUX nod: youtube.com/watch?v=CSmGr8Qj_3g

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