Buddy gets connected for Automark

Buddy, the charismatic new ‘spokesman’ for Toyota SA, points the way to peace-of-mind and affordable prices in the latest television commercial for Automark, Toyota’s certified used vehicle brand in South Africa.

The ad, which broke on 2 February, depicts a scene all owners of curious dogs (and cats) will appreciate – Buddy butting in on his owner’s internet surfing. He – the owner that is – is exploring Automark’s highly-functional website to search for a used car; Buddy is intrigued by all the vehicles on display and paws at the keyboard to learn more.

The site is populated by the used vehicles available at Automark dealers, after they have been thoroughly checked and certified by Toyota. Visitors to the site can search for the car they want by make and model, price, type of vehicle or key word.

The ad was created by Draftfcb Johannesburg’s creative team of group executive creative officer Brett Morris, James Cloete and Ivor Forrester.

Morris pointed out that this ad is much shorter (10 seconds) than Buddy’s previous appearances but, thanks to his celebrity status, the South African public immediately connect him to the Toyota brand giving the creative and strategic teams the flexibility to achieve more using less resources.

“The fact that Buddy has featured in all Toyota SA’s marketing communication for the past six months has reaped rewards for the client,” he says. “Buddy is instantly recognisable and readily linked by viewers to the Toyota brand and therefore easily breaks through the current advertising clutter to extend reach and influence recall.”

Adds Len von Graevenitz, vice president: Vehicle Sales & Dealer Network: Having an ‘icon in the making’ like Buddy allowed us to cross over to the certified used vehicle portion of the business and to create synergies in the mind of the consumer. It provides a platform for instant recognition by the public of the fact that Automark vehicles are backed by Toyota and therefore, come with all the trustworthiness of a new car.”

Watch the TV ad: