Toyota then let Frans, with his friend Ruan Pienaar tagging along, give the audience his honest opinion of the car.
All in Bloemfotein - not what you picture when you think of an electric car ad - but that’s exactly why Toyota and the Studio One team at Publicis Groupe Africa thought it was the perfect place to show off the bZ4X.
Because the battery-electric bZ4X isn’t your run-of-the-mill EV, it’s a Toyota all-wheel drive SUV made to handle real South African conditions.
Hence the tagline for the new campaign is It Just Got Real.
The campaign consists of three long-form episodes and several short-form content pieces. The campaign comes to life with Bloemfontein as the backdrop as Frans and Ruan set out to see just what the bZ4X can do.
The series kicks off at Toyota Stadium (where Frans is asked to test-drive the bZ4X) and sees the two Springbok legends go from city to farm to racetrack, all to see what this electric vehicle is capable of.
It’s a fun ride with a lot of banter between two guys who are clearly very good friends, and it sees the bZ4X end up in places you would never expect from an electric vehicle.
Matthew Shafto, creative group head at Studio One, says, “South African consumers want a vehicle that fits into their lifestyles. So, when launching the bZ4X, we knew that we were going to have to do something different to other electric vehicle ads.
"That’s why we gave it to someone who doesn’t pull any punches and tells people how it really is.”
Tasneem Lorgat, general manager for marketing communications at Toyota South Africa Motors, adds, “The bZ4X is an all-wheel drive SUV. It’s powerful and extremely capable with state-of-the-art tech and convenience features.
"It also happens to be a battery electric vehicle, but being an all-electric Toyota is not the only thing that stands out. That’s why with this campaign we wanted to do something that didn’t feel like any other electric vehicle ad, and I think we’ve done that.”
Watch the digital series here.
If you want to see for yourself how real the all-new bZ4X is, you can watch the digital series here. And for FAQs, you can watch them here - Frans Answers Questions.
General manager marketing and communications: Tasneem Lorgat
Senior manager for marketing and advertising: Rethabile Bopape
Manager marketing advertising and digital: Lebohang Matsoso
Executive creative director: Peet Engelbrecht
Creative director: Kate de Bruyn
Group head: Matthew Shafto
Art director: Megan Hills
Copywriter: Matthew Shafto
Senior account director: Sylvester Asiamah
Business unit director: Mara Diavastos
Production lead: Sally Walland
Director: Juniper
Executive producer: Jackie Hindle-Nel
Producer: Vuyo Depha
1st AD: Murray MacDonald
DOP: Alard de Smidt
Focus puller: Tyrone Poipao
Loader: Mari Schultz
DIT / VTO: Tumelo Kgongwana
Sound: David Seapose
Pilot: Dylan Theron
Photographer: Stefan Kotze
Photographer assistant: Jason Knell
Gaffer: Vukani Khawula
Best boy gaffer/Grip: Samkelo Mavundla
Key grip: Werner Nortje
Precision driver: Devon Scott
Car detailer: Anthony Clifton
Car detailer: Jaguar Makgoba
Car detailer: Evans Makuvele
Medic: Franco Griesel
Unit manager: Benjamin Khanyisa
Unit assistant: Nkosenhle Thabethe
Production assistant: Thapelo Moloi
Audio: Myles McDonald and Pasja Schneider
Post production: Kayleigh Kinnear
