By their own account, Toyota is sharing messages of hope, strength, and social responsibility during its Super Bowl LV ad. According to a new study conducted by DISQO, that’s exactly what Americans don’t want to see.
The 60-second spot, titled “Upstream”, features Team Toyota athlete Jessica Long’s long journey to success, which started when she was adopted by an American couple from a Russian orphanage. Soon after adoption, Long’s legs would have to be amputated due to a rare condition.
Long is currently the second most decorated Paralympian in U.S. history. A five-second “billboard” within the ad encourages people to “think about the impact they have on those around them and follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 guidelines”, according to a release.
Toyota’s Super Bowl LV ad looks to strike a hopeful tone.Photo courtesy of Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc.
DISQO surveyed 8,432 people in the U.S. on February 1 and 2 to dermine their level of excitement about the Super Bowl and the activities and activations surrounding the game. The study found that 31.8 percent of people are less excited about this year’s Super Bowl than previous editions.
Further, 23 percent of respondents said that they would watch the Super Bowl with a smaller group this year due to the pandemic and 17.3 percent will watch at home instead of going out like they traditionally would.
Just 15.9 percent of those surveyed said that they want want to see Super Bowl ads discussing social issues. The vast majority (83.2 percent) want the ads to be funny and/or entertaining.
Only 35.1 percent of respondents said that they want to see Super Bowl ads ahead of the game. “Upstream”, like GM’s Norway-centric spot, was shown ahead of the Big Game.
Toyota’s ad was created by Toyota’s agency of record, Saatchi & Saatchi, in partnership with Dentsu and directed by Tarsem Singh. It will air in the first position in the commercial break before the two-minute warning in the second quarter.
Last year, Toyota showed off its new Highlander in a commercial starring Cobie Smulders that struck a less serious tone.
