Toyota Motor Company has consolidated its creative, content, digital and media activity across Europe with the appointment of The&Partnership as lead agency.
The group – whose creative agency CHI&Partners created Toyota’s ads between 2003 and 2010 – will set up a bespoke unit ‘&TOYOTA’ to handle the business, with the aim of forging a “digital-first model” reflecting “how people consume media and buy cars today”.
Toyota previously used Publicis Groupe agencies Saatchi & Saatchi and Zenith for its creative and media, worth a reported £240m ($300m), but media will now be handled by The&Partnership’s m/SIX agency.
The ‘&TOYOTA’ network plans to use a data analytics unit to integrate data-driven creative with “smart, responsive” digital media planning to deliver creative consistency and share of voice across channels and markets.
It follows the model used by The&Partnership for clients such as News UK, The Wall Street Journal/Dow Jones and TELUS in Canada.
“We believe a new business model is required to achieve this – one that is more integrated and customer-centric – with digital transformation at its heart”
Karl Schlicht, executive vice president of Toyota Motor Europe, said: “Our ambition is to strengthen Toyota’s brand image in Europe by producing ever better cars, communicating a clear brand purpose and maximising the effectiveness of our media investments.
“We believe a new business model is required to achieve this – one that is more integrated and customer-centric – with digital transformation at its heart. We have therefore decided to appoint The&Partnership as our single, integrated agency partner for all marketing, digital and media activities across Europe.”
Johnny Hornby, founder of The&Partnership, added: “This signifies another great win for The&Partnership’s full-service, innovation-driven model – which has helped clients from TalkTalk to TELUS to News UK and The Wall Street Journal future-proof their businesses and brands.
“Toyota is a fantastic brand that deserves smart, best-in-class communications and we’re proud to be working with the Toyota brand again.”
