Toyota 4×4 ads launch

February 5, 1996 by Strategy Staff

The first Toyota ads from Dentsu-Cadence Advertising Canada in Toronto broke on national tv Feb. 3.

The spots position Toyota 4x4s as vehicles for people who choose the road less travelled, ‘representing a freeing, anti-establishment experience.’

The ads’ themeline is ‘Go4x4it.’

DCA Canada won the Toyota Canada truck and 4×4 account last November amid speculation about the intentions of Dentsu, the giant Japanese agency backing the Canadian shop.

The vehicles’ previous agency was Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising in Toronto.

One of the spots is for the full line of Toyota 4x4s, and the second focuses on the redesigned 4Runner.

Ralph Luciw, account director for Toyota at DCA Canada, says consumer research helped the agency identify a yearning among consumers to go their own way and to have more fun in the high stress ’90s.

Luciw says the Toyota 4x4s are a problem-free way to do those things.

Media Buying Services in Toronto executed the media plan for the campaign that includes magazines, newspapers and outdoor, all carrying the Go4x4it theme.