Welcome, Guest [Sign In]

November 2007 - Strategy Magazine
Upfront

Pick from abroad: The U.S.
Toyota gets its game on

by Jesse Kohl
page 8

Toyota launched a brand-supported console game on the Xbox Live service last month. Yaris will be free to download for about seven million Xbox Live and Xbox Live Arcade members in the U.S. and Canada for one year.

The shooter on wheels integrates cars and characters from Yaris ads, including the Mexican wrestler and the gasoline spider. "Gaming is a rapidly growing entertainment market, and has always been part of our strategy for marketing Yaris," said Kim McCullough, corporate manager of marketing communications for Toyota, adding that the brand is "upping the ante" by giving gamers "the chance to interact with our brand on their own terms."

Saatchi & Saatchi Los Angeles and Backbone Entertainment created the game. And in a deal with Blizzard Entertainment, last month Saatchi LA also integrated the Toyota Tacoma into "found footage" from World of Warcraft, which has more than nine million active players.

Quick Search