Toyota Prius has come up with an ad campaign, dubbed Impossible Girls, that is at once innovative, titillating and bizarre.
The campaign essentially involves anthropomorphizing various car parts are beautiful anime characters. Every part of the car -- from the steering wheel and the soundproofing layers to the exhaust pipe -- is depicted as an attractive female anime form. Anime marketing is not entirely new in Japan, but this is a different level altogether.
Prius' Impossible Girls campaign is clearly targeted towards younger consumers who are more likely to be fans of anime and manga, both massive cultural movements in Japan. This sort of marketing takes products that are often difficult or boring to talk about -- wishbone suspensions, water pumps and so on -- and depicts them in fun and attractive feminine forms to encourage a different kind of marketing dialogie.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Anime Marketing
- The use of anime in marketing is becoming increasingly popular and can provide a creative way to attract younger audiences.
- Product Anthropomorphism
- Anthropomorphizing products can add a unique aspect of creativity to marketing.
- Alternative Marketing Dialogue
- Using unconventional marketing methods can encourage a new type of conversation about otherwise uninteresting products.
Where This Applies
- Automotive Industry
- The automotive industry can benefit from using creative marketing tactics, such as anime, to appeal to younger consumers.
- Anime Industry
- Anime studios and production companies could benefit from partnering with businesses for marketing campaigns.
- Marketing Industry
- Marketing professionals can explore new, unconventional methods to depict products and engage younger audiences.
