Business is Good - Toyota Launches All-New Camry With Hybrid Super Bowl Ad

TORRANCE, Calif., Jan. 19, 2006 -- Toyota will begin the advertising launch of America's most popular car, the Camry, during one of America's most popular sporting events -- the 2006 Super Bowl. In celebration of the diverse appeal of the big game, Toyota has developed a "hybrid" commercial featuring English and Spanish to showcase the all-new 2007 Camry Hybrid that runs on gas and electrical power.

The spot, developed by Conill, Toyota's Hispanic ad agency, features a Hispanic father and his son driving in their new Camry Hybrid. Though the father speaks English, a Spanish accent is detectable. The son, however, speaks perfect English with no trace of an accent.

The father explains how the new hybrid can switch back and forth between gas and electric power. His son immediately relates his family's experience to the vehicle and says, "Like you, with English and Spanish!" The father tells his son why he speaks two languages and why he bought a hybrid. He says, "I'm always thinking of your future." Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive(R), the company's gas-electric hybrid powertrain technology, logo features prominently at the end of the 30-second spot.

"The Camry Hybrid ad represents people moving forward in their lives and creating a positive future for themselves and their families," says Jim Farley, Toyota Motor Sales vice president of marketing. "We're using a unique fusion of language and culture to introduce our new Camry Hybrid."

This is the first time Toyota has developed a bicultural, bilingual ad. With Spanish and English dialogue, the hybrid ad builds awareness with story-telling and heart-felt sentiment that will resonate across cultures.

The ad targets all Super Bowl viewers, with a special nod to Hispanic viewers, who represent a vital Toyota demographic. Since May 2004, Toyota has ranked number one in the Hispanic market. The Camry is the third best-selling car in the Hispanic market. Toyota's leadership in this market is the result of consistent advertising efforts over the last 15 years.

Of all Super Bowl viewers, seven percent are Hispanic. Twenty-five percent of all Hispanics eighteen and over watch the Super Bowl. Sixty-two percent of those viewers are men and fifty percent are under 35, representing Toyota's key target audiences. According to Nielsen, the No. 2 prime-time show Hispanics watch is "Monday Night Football."

As one of the first automotive manufacturers to advertise in Spanish, Toyota's "Moving Forward" theme acknowledges life-stages and goals of the general American market; the customer's past and future direction. The direction of "Moving Forward" is also relevant to Hispanics because it speaks to their goals and stages for their children as they pursue the American dream, while retaining their unique Hispanic heritage. By combining both English and Spanish, the ad concept leverages the hybrid nature of blending languages and culture while preserving a unique identity. On a general level, all viewers can appreciate the universal truth that all parents wish to make decisions that will lead to a better life for their children.

In addition to advertising in the General and Hispanic markets, advertising specific to the African American and Asian markets is also being developed.

Toyota's sixth-generation Camry will debut in March with the hybrid version available at dealers a few months later. The new Camry features a sleek new style and offers exceptional performance, safety and comfort with innovation not seen before in midsize sedans.