Toyota Prius: "IPHONE APP IN TIMES SQUARE" Direct marketing by Saatchi & Saatchi Los Angeles

Category: Ambient Media (Large Scale)
Advertiser: TOYOTA MOTOR SALES
Product/Service: PRIUS
Agency: SAATCHI & SAATCHI LA
Date of First Appearance: Oct 26 2009 12:00AM
Entrant Company: SAATCHI & SAATCHI LA, USA
Entry URL: http://www.tmspreview.com/awardsshows/2010/cannes/prius/random_acts/experience/
Executive Creative Director: Mike McKay (Saatchi & Saatchi LA)
Creative Director: Scott Huebscher (Saatchi & Saatchi LA)
Art Director: Ricardo Yosy (Saatchi & Saatchi LA)
Art Director: Chris Pierantozzi (Saatchi & Saatchi LA)
Copywriter: Jeff Nieberding (Saatchi & Saatchi LA)
Director of Integrated Production: Tanya LeSieur (Saatchi & Saatchi LA)
Senior Producer: Jorge Acosta (Saatchi & Saatchi LA)
Account Supervisor: Steven Davis (Saatchi & Saatchi LA)
Interactive Media: Clifton Atkinson (Saatchi & Saatchi LA)
iphone app production: n/a (Appssavvy)
Media Partner: n/a (Reuters)
Development Partner: n/a (Bad Assembly)
Video Production: n/a (DAMP studio)
Media placement: iphone application - apple app store - 15/09/2009
Media placement: Times Square event - Times Square - 26-28/10/2009

Describe the brief/objective of the direct campaign.
Create a press-worthy event that raises awareness of the advanced features of the 3rd generation Prius. Secondly, prove to those already considering a hybrid vehicle that this is the Prius they have been waiting for.

Explain why the creative execution was relevant to the product or service.
The strength of this program was its ability to integrate cutting-edge technology with a creative execution relevant to the Prius target. It utilised emerging mobile technology and allowed the consumer to feel as if they were part of the creative campaign by encouraging them to engage with the Prius in their own creative and unique way. Since Prius is a vehicle at the forefront of innovation, the media and advertising must always communicate in new and experimental ways. This unique Reuters integration was one effort that could deliver that.

Describe the creative solution to the brief/objective with reference to the projected response rates and desired outcome.
The 2010 Prius launched under the tagline: Harmony between man, nature and machine. The media buy needed to support this ingenuity, so Toyota partnered with Reuters to maximize the resources available. The experience needed to meet and exceed the imagination of the tech savvy Prius consumer. The creative execution leveraged the Prius iPhone app to allow users to have their own nature-inspired drawing displayed on the 7,400 sq. ft. Reuters billboard in Times Square. Man draws nature, using machine. This solution integrated the launch messaging into the Times Square billboards, Reuters website, and the mobile app itself.

Describe the results in as much detail as possible with particular reference to the RESPONSE of the target audience including deliverability statistics, response rates, click throughs, sales cost per response, relationships built and overall return on investment.
Within hours of activation, Reuters’ approval queue was bombarded with enough user submissions to fulfill the entire 3 day duration of the partnership. The number of downloads of the Prius application nearly doubled compared to the week prior.