The typical car commercial lures us in gratuitous close us shots, facts and figures, and/or a celebrity endorsement or two. But once in a while, we see ads that genuinely stir the soul and actually strike a chord with its audience. They’re few and far between, but these ads are a cut above all the noise.
With that, the ad we’d like to share with you today is called Loving Eyes, and it was essentially a way to promote Toyota Safety Sense which was new at the time. It’s also a must-watch for parents.
But instead of showing the technological breakthroughs of the new tech (at the time), Hakuhodo Inc., the agency behind this ad, decided the best way to go is to give us a tear-jerker. A commercial that spanned over three minutes, and almost without a single mention of Toyota Safety Sense.
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My dad wasn’t a car guy, but he made the effort to be one for me
The story of a father, a son, and a car battery
Loving Eyes is perhaps the greatest Father’s Day ad from a car company ever created. It’s not because it’s visually spectacular, but rather, the storytelling is relatable for parents. It takes us through the stages of life and parenthood, along with the inevitable challenges along the way, and, of course, the display of some iconic Toyota vehicles.
Yes, it’s a car commercial, but it’s more a short film than that. You don’t have to be a car nut to appreciate it. Heck, you don’t even have to be a parent to understand its message. If anything, the ad will make you appreciate your folks even more, or make you hug your kids a little more tighter than usual. Considering a Toyota vehicle after watching that — ideally one fitted with Safety Sense — is simply a bonus for the world’s biggest automaker.
So without further ado, here’s Loving Eyes. We recommend preparing a sheet of tissue or two for this.
