Toyota marks 55 years of the Hilux in South Africa with the launch of the new Hilux Legend 55.
Paying homage
The new advertising campaign for the Hilux Legend 55 by Toyota and Studio One (a division of Publicis Groupe) not only shows off the new car, but also pays homage to the community that Hilux has built over decades in our country. And this new Legend 55 campaign is clearly about celebrating the legacy of the Hilux.
Rethabile Bopape, senior manager for Marketing and Advertising at Toyota South Africa Motors, said, “The Hilux is more than a vehicle, it’s an integral part of South African life. The importance of the Legend 55 goes beyond its distinctive styling, it stands as a tribute to 55 years of Hilux heritage in our country – a celebration of quality, durability and resilience.
The campaign launches with a TV commercial set in a quintessential, charming South African town, where some locals exchange knowing glances of quiet acknowledgement. The two things that all these people have in common is that they own a Hilux and that they all have one very faded right sleeve on their shirts. As the ad unfolds, it’s revealed that these two things are intrinsically linked, but let’s not spoil the punchline of the ad for you.
The TV commercial also seamlessly integrates the line, “It’s not a bakkie, it’s a Hilux”, which is a catchphrase coined in the last Hilux TV commercial and is now an asset for the brand going forward.
Kate de Bruyn, creative director at Studio One, added, “The Legend 55 is a tribute to everything the Hilux stands for. Staying relevant — and leading the way — for 55 years is an incredible milestone. With this edition, we honour the Hilux legacy, celebrate the community that’s made it iconic, and introduce the next chapter with the Legend 55”.
The Legend 55 promises to be yet another one of Mzansi’s favourite “bakkies” and this campaign does a great job of showing off the new vehicle while honouring the heritage of Hilux.
The advertising campaign for the new Hilux Legend 55 extends across TV, out-of-home, print, radio, and digital channels.
The new Hilux Legend 55 is available now and the legend of Hilux looks set to continue for a long, long time.
Credits:
Client: Toyota
- General manager: Marketing & Communications – Tasneem Lorgat
- Senior marketing manager: Advertising & Digital – Rethabile Bopape
- Marketing manager: Advertising & Digital – Chandra Msimango
Agency: Publicis Groupe/Studio One
- Chief creative officer – Pete Little
- Executive creative director – Peet Engelbrecht
- Creative director – Kate De Bruyn
- Senior art director – James Lait
- Senior copywriter – Matthew Shafto
- Group account director – Shiraz Mckenzie
- Production lead – Sally Walland
Auto detailing team
- Lead auto detailer – Anthony Clifton
- Precision driver – Jaguar Ramagodi
- Precision driver – Freedom Nkuna
Production house: Darling Films
- Executive producers – Lorraine Smit / Melina McDonald
- Director – Chloe Coetsee
- Producer – Anastasia Tsobanopulos
Key crew
- Director of photography – Julian Robinet
- First assistant director – Graham Hickson
- Key grips – Tyler Geldenhuys, Siza Khawula, Alan Thorpe
- Gaffers – Dave Howe, Ryan Tucker, Wandile Dlamini, Thabiso Mantsoe, Connor Doye
- Art directors – Julie Bonnet, Werner Snyman
- Key hair & makeup artists – Orli Meiri, Monray Louw
- Drone team – Timothy Hamman, Gareth Knight, Daniel Shelley
Post-production team: Mushroom Media
- Post production facility – Mushroom Media
- Offline editor – Warwick Taylor
- Online editors – Novak Miler, Sarah Kwan, Nkateko J. Minyuki, Herschelle Ncube
- Colourist – Warwick Taylor
- Sound engineers – Myles MacDonald, Pasja Schneider
- Music publisher – Hey Papa Legend
Music & sound studio: Hey Papa Legend
- Music composers – Hey Papa Legend
- Music producers – Myles MacDonald & Pasja Schneider
- Sound engineers – Myles MacDonald & Pasja Schneider
