The Toyota Tacoma is not just a truck. It’s a legend. For over 25 years, it has been the best-selling midsize pickup in America, with a loyal fan base of adventurers, explorers, and thrill-seekers. And now, the Tacoma is ready to take on its biggest challenge yet: the Super Bowl LVIII.
Toyota’s Super Bowl Ad: Dareful Handle
On February 8, 2024, millions of viewers tuned in to watch the Super Bowl LVIII, the annual championship game of the National Football League (NFL). But they also got to witness something else: the launch of the all-new 2024 Toyota Tacoma.
Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) returned to the Super Bowl with a 30-second ad celebrating the launch of the completely redesigned Tacoma, primed and reimagined to make off-roading dreams come true. The ad, titled “Dareful Handle”, featured the all-new Tacoma conquering a thrilling array of action-packed off-road adventures, playing on the question, “can you handle it?”.
The adrenaline-pumping spot highlighted the range of emotions passengers experience as they grip the passenger side handle for dear life. The exhilarating ride incited shoutouts, including the “shut the front door” handle, “woah, woah, woah, woah” handle, and “no me gusta” handle.
The ad was created by Toyota’s agency of record, Saatchi & Saatchi, in partnership with Le Truc, and directed by Tarsem Singh, an award-winning director who has directed numerous Super Bowl ads, including Toyota’s celebrated 2021 Super Bowl LV ad, “Upstream”, starring Paralympian Jessica Long.
“The convergence of the all-new 2024 Toyota Tacoma launch, Super Bowl LVIII weekend and our recent announcement as Official Automotive Partner of the NFL created an exciting communication opportunity for Toyota,” said Mike Tripp, group vice president, Toyota Marketing, TMNA. “We’re thrilled to leverage the power of our product, our partnership and two iconic brands to highlight the trail-dominating power and legendary capability of the all-new Tacoma during the most-watched TV broadcast of the year.”
“I thought we would need a lot of acting but the Tacoma delivered on such a level that all the reactions are pretty much live,” said Singh. “The power and performance of the Tacoma exceeded all my expectations, and I’m excited for viewers to see this truck in action.”