Yes you have! Everyone has! Everyone has heard of Toyota’s catch phrase “oh what a feeling, Toyota!”
If you haven’t heard this before, chances are, you’re living under a rock.
But for those of you who have heard of this before, we all know this is Toyota’s most common slogan, used in all of their advertisements since the 1980s.
So how did this become one of Australia’s most successful integrated marketing communications message?
Well firstly, integrated marketing communications is ensuring that all forms of communications and promotional messages are linked together so that they work in harmony. Toyota does this perfectly. Their ‘oh what a feeling’ campaign has lasted over 30 years now in Australia and that ecstatic pose? the one of the man jumping with his hands in the air? it’s now pretty much a given that when Toyota shows their ad on TV that we see this mans silhouette jumping.
Toyota’s marketing message hence all relates to the social currency of purchasing their vehicle. That feeling of joy, that smell of that new Toyota you just bought and that leathery feel of its steering wheel, that’s the feel Toyota is able to bring to their consumers when purchasing their vehicle. Stimulating the viewers senses to feel this way is what Toyota does best to showcase their vehicle range, and its evident across all of their ads. Whether they play an ad about the all new monstrous Toyota Hilux that crushes mountainous terrain, or whether you’re looking for a small daily Corolla to get yourself to work. Toyota knows that their vehicles will make you get that ‘feel’.
Ever since the development of the internet and mobile applications, marketers now have many more platforms to advertise on. Consistently we have seen Toyota feature their “oh what a feeling” campaign only via their TV and video advertisements. So in terms of marketing how will Toyota now redevelop a campaign that will be just as successful than their current one on social media and on other traditional marketing methods? What will their IMC message be to us consumers?
We can only wait till that day they release a new jingle or catch phrase that makes everyone want to sing along to their advertisements.
What’s your favourite car advertisement and why? Let me know down below in the comments section!
Keeping up to Speed. 
Hi Dorian, that was an interesting read.
Personally, my favourite car commercial of all time was the Toyota Hilux ‘Baby Come Back’ ad, as it had the right mix of comedy as well showing how perfect the Hilux is for a tradie. In terms of Toyota’s use of IMC tactics in the future, I believe they will have continued success with television advertisements that can be also shown in full or in shorter versions on social media. Furthermore, with billboard advertising and other methods echoing the same message to form one harmonious campaign.
Do you think that Toyota will change their IMC approaches moving forward?
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That is a very good question Raph. I strongly believe that at some point in time they will change their IMC approach. However, its safe to say that their current ‘oh what a feeling’ campaign and message is very successful. Toyota’s Corolla range is the 5th most popular vehicle in Australia!
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I agree that Toyota’s “Oh what a feeling!” is really an iconic slogan that has stood the test of time, and also the emergence of new platforms with the digital age as well – it’s really a core part of Toyota’s message and overall feeling they’re aiming to share with its target audience. One car marketing campaign that I can never forget is Mazda’s “Zoom zoom”; it’s in pretty much all of their advertisement materials, I believe, and much like Toyota’s one it’s also iconic and really embedded in the core message of the brand too!
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Ooo yes that is very true. Could you believe that Mazda spent $205million dollars in the year 2000? The zoom-zoom slogan has now been around for 10 years, and I believe it will continue for another decade just like Toyota’s.
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Hi Dorian! This was an insightful and fluent read, great work! An ad I really like is the new Cayman Porsche ad as it has a powerful emotional appeal towards it which hits their target audience right in the feelings. Such that, this ad takes the audience through meaningful memories which inflict nostalgia of care-free and happy days, using music and enthusiastic imagery. Combined with this, Porsche carefully integrated the new Porsche model into the video, allowing for a positive and close association to be made instantly. All in all, the vibes of the ad and smooth cuts helped achieve such favouritism :))
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After just having a look at the Porsche Cayman ad, I am stunned. You are right Catherine, it does portray a powerful appeal towards the target audience. Porsche’s IMC messages are definitely much bolder and powerful compared to other brands.
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