Several tight turns, some spectacular off-road driving and plenty of daring accelerations later, he is forced to halt by a wall of rock blocking his progression through a canyon. The three Land Cruisers chasing him block his exit,  and a uniformed man alights from one of these. The guard approaches his window, he fears the worst, but the guard only hands over his passport, which he’d forgotten at the border post. Relief floods his face, and the border guards laughs at the misunderstanding.

The ad was shot over three days in Calvinia in the Northern Cape by Daniel Levi of Goodcop, while Left, Blade and Freq’ncy all contributed post-production. It was conceived by the creative team of Tian van den Heever, Dani Meneghin and Liam Galt off a strategic brief by Tim Allemann and Ashleigh Albertyn.

Said Draftfcb Johannesburg Executive Business Director, Mike Di Terlizzi: “Our brief was to use the launch of the new Land Cruiser Prado – and position it as the hero – to showcase the off-road prowess of the Toyota Land Cruiser range.

“This execution leaves no room for doubt that the Land Cruiser is at home in Africa. Not only is it powerful, tough and reliable, it absolutely dominates any terrain in which it finds itself.

“From the car chase and the amazing off-road capability shown in the commercial, to the awkward and yet humorous situation shared by the driver and the border guard, it shows that Toyota, and Land Cruiser, understand the spirit of Africa and what a driver needs from a vehicle on the continent.”

The 90 second ad is targeting males between 35 and 49 years of age, and is supported by a digital campaign. The advertisement can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3D8gvPpYXs

ends

Client:                                                   Toyota South Africa

Brand:                                                  Toyota Landcruiser Prado

                                                            Pieter Klerck

Creative agency:                                   Draftfcb Johannesburg

Executive Business Director:                 Mike Di Terlizzi

Account Director:                                  Greg Baker

Chief Creative Officer:                           Brett Morris

Creative Director:                                  Tian van den Heever

Art Director:                                          Dani Meneghin

Copywriter:                                           Liam Galt

Strategic planner:                                  Tim Allemann and Ashleigh Albertyn      

TV production:                                      Barbara Clarke                         

Media planners:                                     Gwen Bezuidenhout      

Production:

Production house:                                 Goodcop

Director:                                               Daniel Levi

Producer:                                              Tess van Zyl                                        

Post-production:                                   Left

                                                            Blade

                                                            Freq’ncy