Toyota Corolla Helps Debut Virtual Pop Diva Hatsune Miku to U.S. Market

Relevant Connections: Toyota Buyer's Guide

TORRANCE, CA--May 13, 2011: Toyota's 2011 Corolla campaign for the Asian American market announces a new partnership with Hatsune Miku, a unique musical artist known for her songs, dance moves and long, blue pigtails.  Most interestingly, Hatsune Miku is a 3-D holographic character developed to put a face on a singing synthesizer software developed by Crypton Future Media.

The campaign showcases the 2011 Corolla and introduces the virtual pop diva, a native of Japan, to her growing fan base in the U.S.  Toyota Corolla will serve as the proud sponsor of Hatsune Miku's first U.S. concert performance, slated for July 2 at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, Calif. during Anime Expo® 2011.

"Toyota maintains a constant pulse on global trends and influences," said Bob Zeinstra, National Manager, Advertising and Strategic Planning. "We are excited to have this partnership with Hatsune Miku because even if she is unfamiliar to some, the story of the character, her music and her dedicated fans are intriguing and in parallel with the storied history of Toyota Corolla. We are thrilled to help make her debut in the U.S."

Working with its Asian American advertising agency, interTrend Communications, Toyota has built an integrated marketing campaign that includes TV, print, out-of-home, digital and social media, primarily targeted to the Asian American market. The campaign launched on May 5, 2011 with commercial spots featured on YouTube Toyota USA , garnering over half a million views in less than three days.

The partnership was a natural fit as both Toyota Corolla and Hatsune Miku realize big dreams in compact packages. The best-selling compact car, Corolla's updated exterior and interior design and technology features allow it to stand out from the compact vehicle category, much like Hatsune Miku does in her field.

The 2011 Corolla has new front and rear exterior styling, comes with the Toyota Care complimentary maintenance plan and standard Smart-Stop Technology.  Toyota is the first and only full-line manufacturer to make the features of the Star Safety System standard on all vehicles.  No wonder it was Hatsune Miku's top choice for her first vehicle in the U.S.