GoSquad

Fight phony baloney deals with the Toyota Go Squad!

Portland Toyota came to us with an idea they wanted developed. The idea positioned Toyota as the “hero” and the common challenges and hardships of owning a vehicle were the “villains.”  Silly and fun characters came to mind and the opportunity to create something out of the ordinary presented itself. The Toyota GoSqaud was born!

We needed a name for our superheroes that somehow tied into our brand, so we played off the Toyota tag, Let’s Go Places. Each of the villains were inspired by the cheap tactics you’ve seen at used car lots often associated with scammers. The gorilla suit spinning a sign, Uncle Scam and those inflatable tube dancers came to mind. A pink gorilla suit was just my preference. After the characters were sketched out and signed off on by the client, the concepts were sent out to a comic illustrator who really fleshed them out.  

Working with illustrations had its benefits for social and digital. Because of all the layered parts we had a lot of freedom to design per spec and need. Playing with copy that had a comic book tone visually and textually was also implemented. We even pitched a free comic for kids who happen to be at the dealership with their parents shopping for a new Toyota.