Category Archives: cm
Aussies know how to make a Toyota Land Cruiser commercial
A new commercial from Toyota Australia proves that it’s possible to hawk the Land Cruiser. It has just the right amount of heritage and humor, and it shows a bunch of Cruisers tearing through the Outback. It’s much better than … Continue reading
Baseball legend Shigeo Nagashima was synonymous with the X60 Toyota Mark II
On June 3 baseball star Shigeo Nagashima passed away from lung cancer in a Tokyo hospital. Voted 1958’s Rookie of the Year, he was instrumental in establishing the Yomiuri Giants as Japan’s greatest baseball dynasty. By the time Nagashima retired … Continue reading
Toyota 2000GT and LFA casually appear in Lexus ad with no mention
Here’s a puzzler for ya. A new Lexus commercial features Toyota’s two most legendary sports cars, but neither is mentioned or spotlighted at all. Normally the presence of such revered chariots would hint at the company’s storied history or legacy … Continue reading
Japan’s 1980s tire ads touted the glamor of driving, not safety
Roberta Flack, singer, pianist, and all around class act, passed away Monday. She was well-loved in Japan and gained popularity there after a nationwide tour there in 1975. She performed in Japan many times in the decades since, with her … Continue reading
Toyota AE86 drifts into Diet Coke commercial
We think the fake sweetener in Diet Coke makes it taste horrible, but we don’t mind the soft drink’s latest ad, which includes a surprise appearance by a Toyota AE86. In the spot the two-tone light pink/dark pink Corolla slides … Continue reading
Toyota’s resurrected Celica needs an ad campaign; here’s one free of charge
With Toyota execs confirming the return of the Celica, the company needs a new ad campaign. Here’s one we think will really resonate with the public and get them buzzing about a car that hasn’t been in production since 2006. … Continue reading
That time Pop Tarts went hard with tuner culture
The tuner scene had been flourishing for years by the time Y2K rolled around, but it still wasn’t mainstream. Even after the success of the The Fast and the Furious in 2001, non-car people didn’t get why you’d tune a … Continue reading
‘Nissan Love Story’ ad spans the decades with iconic cars
A new Japanese-market Nissan commercial tells a decades-long love story through classic cars. The spot is part of Nissan’s year-long 90th anniversary celebration, which began in December 2023. The ad features Nissan’s greatest hits in fast succession, promising a little … Continue reading
Toyota Corona ads like this helped establish the brand in the US
Toyota’s entry into the US market was famously disastrous. The Toyopet Crown was built for crowded Japanese alleys, not wide American highways, and its troubled launch almost sent Toyota back to Japan entirely. What redeemed the company was the introduction … Continue reading
Toyota GR86 meets its Initial D and MF Ghost predecessors in new ad
Toyota has teamed up with the creator of Initial D and MF Ghost again in a new ad. The spot features the new GR86, the old 86, and the really old AE86 on a late night touge run while a … Continue reading
Nissan Z haunted by ghosts of Z-cars past on a sleepless night
We’ve seen the formula before. A commercial for the Nissan Z brings out generations of older Z-cars to support the new one. Not a single word is uttered in the whole ad and the narrative couldn’t be simpler. A man … Continue reading
1970 KE10 chases Toyota GR Corolla in new ad that is cringe
In Toyota’s latest ad for the raucous GR Corolla, a cameo by a 1970 KE10 almost threatens to steal the show. Not only that, but there are several references to past Toyota commercials, some obscure enough that only Toyota nerds … Continue reading
The Honda Legend is Han Solo’s preferred transport on this remote backwater planet
The Millennium Falcon might be a fast ship, but when Han Solo visits a primitive Outer Rim world that has yet to develop repulsor technology the galactic smuggler needs to blend in with the locals. That’s why he chooses the … Continue reading
The Acura Integra Type S will take anime to Pikes Peak
It seems stupid, but it took Japanese manufacturers until 2022 to embrace anime as an advertising tool. It’s only been the most influential Japanese medium for about, oh, the last 30 years. Ironically it’s Acura, the first brand created for … Continue reading
Initial D Toyota AE86 gets schooled by GR86 again, with a different master behind the wheel
In January a series of commercials for the 2022 Toyota GR86 reunited it with the famous Initial D AE86. In those commercials tofu delivery boy Takumi is defeated by none other than the Drift King himself, Keiichi Tsuchiya (or at … Continue reading
Toyota GR Corolla joins the family — Rate This Ad
The Toyota GR Corolla is hitting the showrooms soon, so it’s time for some new ads. For Americans, the 300-horsepower AWD hot hatch is probably the most anticipated Toyota in decades, especially if you count only the cars fully developed … Continue reading
Posted in cm
Tagged a20, A80, A90, ae86, celica, GR Corolla, GR86, sports 800, st205, supra, toyota
4 Comments
Rate This Ad: Nissan off-roads through the decades
A new Nissan commercial takes viewers on a ride through the decades. Titled “60 Years in 30 Seconds”, it features spokeswoman Brie Larson time-jumping from the 1959 to present day in various Nissans. If you think that sounds familiar, it’s … Continue reading
Posted in cm
Tagged 240z, Armada, Baja 1000, d21, datsun, hardbody, nissan, pathfinder, S30Z, safari rally
8 Comments
Rate This Ad: Multi-generational Toyota family
Normally “national sales events” ads are pretty boring. You have the latest models zipping along a city street while APR financing options are recited at Micro Machine Man speed. For this summer’s Toyotathon, however, Toyota is pulling out the classics … Continue reading
As part of Star Wars ad campaign, C-3PO and R2-D2 once helped sell Mitsubishi cars in Japan
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away a couple of droids landed on a remote, unremarkable planet of mostly water. Its primitive inhabitants had yet to discover interstellar travel, but for some reason these advanced droids got … Continue reading
