Toyota Northern California just launched its latest campaign, titled “Cancel the Quit,” in time for this year’s Summer Olympics in Paris
Helmed by independent media and ad agency H/L, with help from in-house production studio Wolf House and director Carlo Silvio, the main spot features past and current athletes from Team USA.
With narration by gold medalist Summer Sanders, it’s the first of several films in the campaign to be released as the global sporting event draws nearer, starring Olympic and Paralympic athletes who live, work, or attend school in Northern California.
Conscious casting choices were vital to the campaign’s goals, elevating the Olympian values of commitment and success while building brand affinity for Toyota and spreading its message to the greater Northern California area.
View this post on Instagram
“This campaign connects the Toyota brand ethos of ‘there is no best, only better’ with the unyielding spirit of Olympic achievement,” H/L VP Dallas Baker, who is also the campaign’s executive creative director, said in a statement to DesignRush.
“In this, we set out to stoke local enthusiasm for the Olympics and connect Toyota’s global sponsorship of the games more authentically to our region than any typical co-branding could hope to do on its own,” he added.
Sanders also spoke about her commitment to her Olympic family and Toyota, touching on the fact that family means everything to her.
Being a longtime supporter of Toyota NorCal, she praised the campaign for celebrating the community of local athletes.
As the first-ever mobility partner of the Olympics, Toyota positions itself as a source of inspiration, possessing the innate drive that gives athletes a competitive edge.
Highlighting the Different Forms of Power
H/L juxtaposes the athletic power of Olympians with the horsepower of Toyota vehicles, seizing the perfect opportunity to combine both aspects with a deep understanding of the athletes and the brand.
All aspects of each campaign film were conceptualized and led by the agency, handling ideation, production, post-production, and local media placement, making sure to adapt its departments to meet deadlines while still creating quality work.
The spot begins with Sanders as she observes another athlete train.
“Some see the finish line as the end. But for us, it’s the starting line for the next race,” she narrates.
Throughout the spot, athletes demonstrate their skill and prowess in their respective sports, including:
- Torri Huske, Olympic swimmer
- Katie Bridge, Paralympic Sitting Volleyball player
- Stephen Tomasin, Olympic Rugby player
- Faitala Talapusi, Olympic Rugby player
Baker emphasized the campaign’s exploration of the less glamorous side of Olympic achievement, pointing out the fact that not all the athletes featured in the films were sure they would make the team — further strengthening the campaign’s theme and emotional connection to the region.
H/L has had its fair share of creative collaborations with Toyota, previously launching an 8-bit browser game to encourage incoming college students to engage in outdoor experiences.
Editing by Katherine 'Makkie' Maclang
