New ads from Toyota for their odd little Yaris, featuring Michael Showalter!

I really respect and appreciate the fact that Toyota seems to have a sense of humor about itself, especially regarding a car called the “Yaris.” I have no idea what a Yaris is or what the word refers to, but I’m glad this work is a complete 180 from the usual, boring car ads that feature repetitive selling points like, “It’s fast!” “It’s good for your family!” or “Great gas mileage!” The Yaris’s selling point? “It’s a car!” Yes, it is! And now I kind of want one!

The spots are silly, clean, and focus on the product without pandering or patronizing. Laughs go a long way when you want someone to buy something.

This is a great example of coherent, thoughtful advertising that encourages an audience beyond a single viewing on TV. It’s refreshing that Toyota trusts their customers/audience to have a sense of humor about the company and themselves, and that they were willing to take a bit of a risk rather than rely on the same old song and dance about “high performance” and “safety.” Who cares about those things anyway?!