The Swagger Wagon. A national viral hit. No TV.
One single media placement (a YouTube masthead) led to the following staggering outcome:
19+ Million unique Youtube views (AdAge)
“Swagger Wagon“ phrase averaged 115 tweets per hour (Twitter)
One of 10 most viewed videos in 10 years (YouTube)
Third most shared viral video of all time - Facebook, Twitter, blogs (Unruly Media’s Viral Video - June 3,2010)
#1 - CNN Viral video
#2 - AdAge Viral Video Chart
Voted #22 of 31 “top videos of 2010“ (YouTube)
“…improved Toyota brand perception, and increased the desirability of the mid-sized van segment overall.“ (J.D. Power)
Over 150 unpaid broadcast segments, articles and blog posts
2010 Jay Chiat Awards winner - Social Media
Way before carefully orchestrated social and digital launch campaigns were a "thing", this piece was grudgingly granted one single Youtube masthead home page takeover as media support.
No TV. No other media.
Client was nervous and refused to otherwise support it. It was a bone, but we grabbed it.
Minivans are designed for kids, are very safe, have a ton of cup holders and are resoundingly dull.
And in support of this we overheard a comment from a soccer mom at a research group:
"... I'd rather have my tubes tied, than drive a minivan … "
Yet, this particular Minivan, was designed by a Toyota race car designer.
From the sporty styling to the racing alloy rims, this Minivan gave us the idea that it was designed to be (in a wonderfully selfish way), all about the driver.
After doing a ton of social listening around the initial launch campaign, we determined that our “Swagger Wagon” phrase was blowing up on Twitter.
One thing led to another and we launched the new SE model with a music video to show THIS is how parents roll...in the Swagger Wagon!
Online video: The Swagger Wagon
A few years later Carson Daly fondly remembers the campaign on the Jimmy Fallon show:
(OUR LAUNCH TOOK PLACE DURING THE TOYOTA RECALL PHASE):
From J.D. Power and Associates’ 2010 Automotive Marketing and Media Annual Review:
Toyota Sienna’s “Swagger Wagon” campaign has utilized viral messaging to reach consumers. Both conversation volume and positive sentiment surrounding the model have seen a marked increase post-launch. Findings indicate that the Swagger Wagon campaign has not only improved Toyota’s brand perception, but also increased the desirability of the mid-sized van segment overall.
ADDITIONAL SUCCESSES:
• Ultimately racked up more than 19 million views (AdAge)
• June 3, 2010 - Third most shared viral video of all time, on Facebook, Twitter & blogs. - (Unruly Media's Viral Video Chart).
• Voted by Youtube as # 22 of 31 "top videos of 2010".
• Over 40 fan-created pages on Facebook
• Over 33000 FB fans
• 10500+ Youtube subscribers
• 85% Over 25 years old
• Over 150 broadcast segments, articles and blog posts to date
• 2010 Jay Chiat Awards winner (Social Media).
• 2010 Sienna campaign voted best Social Media example in Saatchi global network.
• 2010 Saatchi and Saatchi Los Angeles voted Social Media Agency of the Year. (The Bees Awards, 2010).
• 2011 IAC - Best Automobile Social Media Campaign, Best Mobile Social Media Campaign - Toyota Sienna Family Campaign
• 2011 IAC - Best Automobile Online Video, Best Mobile Online Video Internet Advertising - Sienna Swagger Wagon Music Video
• 2011 ADAGE Viral Video Awards Winner - Toyota: "Swagger Wagon"
• ADC - DESIGN - Gold - Toyota: "Swagger Wagon"
• ADC - ADVERTISING - Silver - Toyota: "Swagger Wagon"
Twitter:
Two days after posting the video on YouTube it was averaging 115 tweets per hour and Sienna was the #1 branded channel on YouTube. 10 months later and we still had comments flowing:
https://twitter.com/search?q=swagger%20wagon
(Realtime search results for swagger wagon)
Some notable Tweets (from way back):
Guy Kawasaki:
“Toyota’s new marketing strategy: Gangsta rap suburbanite https://holykaw.alltop.com/toyotas-new-marketing-strategy-gangsta-rap-su”
“Watching Swagger Wagon. No Mother Father swearing. Brilliant. Minivan is cool again. Who made it? ow.ly/1IpMN”
“Our web designer loves Toyota's viral video campaign for their minivans. Behold the "swagger wagon": ow.ly/1IoBW”
“Mainly for the minivan parents like me out there. This Sienna video is ridiculous: bit.ly/dBHfyB. Swagger Wagon indeed”
“I was looking at the VW CC, but now i want a swagger wagon." tinyurl.com/24p7gjn
“If you haven't seen this "Swagger Wagon" ad from Toyota, it's so funny, it could actually help rehabilitate them: bit.ly/9uUHbk”
“The Swagger Wagon: There is no way to describe my wife and I any more perfectly than this. I love it when I hear ... bit.ly/bsfL6A”
And finally, even the deacon weighed in:
"Coolest.
Mini-van ad.
Ever."
http://blog.beliefnet.com/deaconsbench/2010/05/coolest-mini-van-ad-ever.html
Youtube Awarded our page and ranked it:
Within the 10 most viewed pieces in the last 10 years
#41 - Most Subscribed (All Time) - Sponsors
#1 - Most Viewed (This Month) - Sponsors
(for May 2010)
#20 - Most Viewed (All Time) - Sponsors
• 19+ Million "Swagger Wagon" unique Youtube views
• June 3 (2010) Third most shared viral video of all time, on Facebook, Twitter & blogs. (now 4th).
(Unruly Media's Viral Video Chart).
It was also ranked:
• #1 on CNN Viral video (see link at end of this post)
• #2 on the AdAge Viral Video Chart
• Top 10 on Unruly Media’s Viral Video Chart
• Best ad of the day (4 May 2010) on Facebooks Pièce de Pub du Jour
• #4 on Cars.com Kicking Tires blog’s Most Read Stories of the Week.
News & Blogs:
TV Broadcast
Viral Video Rewind - Breaking News Videos from CNN (click to watch)
WGN Morning News Chicago (click to watch)
CNN Sunday Morning (click to watch)
CNN Rick’s List (click to watch)
Good Day LA (click to watch)
CNN Europe (click to watch)
WAGA Fox Atlanta Good Day Xtra (click to watch)
WJBK Fox Detroit Fox2 News at 5 p.m. (click to watch)
WXMI-GR Fox 17 Morning News (click to watch)
WXMI Grand Rapids’ Fox 17 News at Ten (click to watch)
KVVU Las Vegas Fox 5 News This Morning (click to watch)
KVVU Las Vegas Fox 5 News: Live in Las Vegas! (click to watch)
WOAI San Antonio NBC News 4 today at 5 a.m. (click to watch)
WOAI San Antonio NBC News 4 today at 6 a.m. (click to watch)
WHAM Rochester 13WHAM News at 5 p.m. (click to watch)
KGMB Honolulu CBS Hawaii News Now: Sunrise at 7 a.m. (click to watch)
KUSI San Diego News at 11:00 p.m. (click to watch)
WPTV West Palm Beach NBC Today on 5 (click to watch)
WTGS-SAV Fox Savannah, GA
KTVK-PHX Good Morning Arizona
Business News Network (Canada)
National:
Wall Street Journal's All Things Digital
USA Today's Drive On
Wall Street Journal’s Driver’s Seat
CNET
U.S. News & World Report
Regional:
The Wichita Eagle
The Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Pop Crush blog
News One
My Fox DC
Radio Station Sites:
NOW 92.3 (New York)
WILD 94.1 (Florida)
Blogs
Web/Blog Excerpts
“If you’re looking to impress, forget the bright red Corvette or shiny black Hummer H2. Everyone knows the minivan is the hottest car on the road right now…It all started with Toyota’s “Swagger Wagon” ad campaign, featuring an oh-so-hip mom and dad rapping about their new minivan. The ad became a viral hit and assured young parents that minivan ownership no longer means mom jeans and only going to sporting events where your kid is on the field.” (Wired.com)
“As someone who recently succumbed to the minivan (a Sienna), I can't resist sharing this video. Could it be that this ad campaign might re-brand the minivan as a bastion of ironic coolness?” (Rage Against the Minivan blog)
“Toyota needs a break here and I think their marketing folks have done a nice job. Toyota is a winner for a change…” (Business News Network)
“[Toyota’s] new campaign for its 2011 Sienna SE minivan ("You get it for space — but fill it with your family's swagger") is marketing genius.” (The Wichita Eagle)
Blogosphere Excerpts
“All marketers say they want viral videos. But few have any idea how to create one. Toyota has figured this one out, though, with a clip released this week promoting its Sienna Minivan” (All Things Digital).
“While the video does have a Lonely Island ‘I'm on a boat’ feel it does a great job of positioning a product that a lot of parents are reluctant to opt into with pride ‘Yeah Mother fathers!’” (Purveyor of Cool Blog).
“The minivan day is looming…I know it to be true, yet I resist. But here comes Toyota, with the perfect antidote to my self-loathing: A hilarious ersatz-rap video” (The Stir, A Café Mom Blog).
“The black-and-white ‘Swagger Wagon’ video is slick and full of memorable lines” (MyFoxDC.com).
Mommy (& a few Daddy) blogs
Mommy Mandy
Rage Against the Minivan
The Infangers blog
Life of a Missy Mom
Kari and Kids blog
My Life in Pink blog
Good Day, Regular People blog
The Joy Cottage
The Beautiful Mess blog
Hissyfits Photography blog
The Energizer Mommy blog
Walking for Daddy blog
Elizabeth Erekson blog
Alpha Mom blog
Mrs. Mama’s Monsters
Big Geek Dad blog
Sweet Tea blog
The Swensens blog
Goode Time Girls blog
Black and Married with Kids
Bored Mommy blog
Heart of a Mother blog
Grandma’s Feather Bed blog
Daddy Types blog
Murrayville Mom blog
Motherproof blog
The Stir, A Café Mom blog
Eighty MPH Mom blog
Porridgereport.com
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Fishtank blog
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Skip to the End blog
IndyPosted
Yaffe Tidbits Blog
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Chris Stenberg blog
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