Toyota taps rich British lives for Corolla ad campaign

Japanese multinational Toyota is aiming to drive home its British credentials – having first entered the market in 1966 – with a new, UK-originated campaign for the Corolla model, which has been one of its most popular models over the past 60 years.

Launching this week, the campaign has been developed by T&P London and directed by Humans from Riff Raff, takes a refreshingly comedic look at the diverse lives of Corolla owners.

From a fisherman keeping an eye on a groom at his stag do, dressed as a fish, to a car park stand-off between a plumber and a hairdresser, each spot is designed to take a comedic look at the Corolla’s effortless integration into the varied tapestry of British life.

Toyota’s Burnaston factory produces all Corolla models sold in the UK and across Europe, further underscoring Toyota’s dedication to local production and innovation.

With over 50 million units sold worldwide since 1966, the company claims the Toyota Corolla is not just a car; it is a global icon.

The integrated campaign kicks off with a 30-second film across Linear TV, complemented by six shorter, films streaming across VOD platforms and YouTube.

The multi-platform approach is designed to amplify awareness and forge a deeper emotional connection with UK consumers, highlighting the Corolla’s ‘car for everyone’ positioning and shunning the usual advertising template that is so prevalent in the European car market.

Toyota UK senior manager of brand strategy Rob Crilley said: “The Corolla is a fantastic car, and while it’s in an increasingly competitive segment, we have 50 million customers around the world who agree.

“Our brief was simple: create a new marketing campaign, UK originated, that asks people to re-evaluate Corolla.

“We wanted to celebrate its versatility – available as a Hatchback, Touring Sports, and Commercial, with grades to suit all customers – and underscore that it’s proudly built in Britain. This campaign is authentic, with a dash of Brit wit, and just like the Corolla, which pleases a wide range of people, we hope this campaign does too.”

T&P creative director Dan NS added, “When I saw the brief, I was overjoyed – the most sold car ever. Rarely do propositions come so single-minded. This gave us the chance to tell simple, human, and entertaining stories, and the product did the rest of the selling for us.

“Our creatives wrote around 50 million scripts, and Humans helped us squeeze every drop of comedy and humanity out of every frame. Get in.”