So far, dabbling in anime has allowed Toyota to build relationships with consumers beyond this audience.
Tripp said the series has been popular amongst the Black and LGBTQ+ communities as well. According to Polygon, Black Americans account for 17% of anime’s 18+ fanbase while 27% of anime viewers identify as LGBTQ+.
Tripp said from the start the brand wanted to create something genuine and culturally relevant with Grip. Anime has exploded in popularity as it has become increasingly accessible, through streaming services like Netflix and Crunchyroll.
The series was most popular amongst Asian-American women ages 18-24, for whom cars are not “top of mind,” said Choy.
“If you can tap into particular audiences and dial right in, especially with an organization like Toyota which markets to basically everyone…it’s super successful,” said Choy, explaining that the success among young women led to the creation of a central female character whose storylines would line up with the audience.
Intertrend brought on Korean-based animation studio called DR Movie to bring Grip to life, spinning up season one in seven months.
Toyota plans to promote Grip season two “like a movie studio,” said Choy — through trailers, social media, interviews with AG!, and live events.
And Intertrend’s work is expanding: it’s currently working on a campaign promoting Toyota’s newest all-electric vehicle through short-form storytelling.
Entertainment endeavors
Toyota has increasingly incorporated entertainment and pop culture into its marketing in recent years.
In March, it showcased a short film starring actress Hilary Swank and actor-comedian Jimmy O. Yang called “Land Cruiser Get Back Challenge,” and it partners with SiriusXM for an ongoing interview series called Sounds of the Road, where emerging musicians share their vehicle-related stories.
“It’s one thing to advertise your product, but it’s another thing to show your product in a way where a consumer is using [it] to do the things they love,” Tripp said.
These strategies have paid off in sales, where it counts. Tripp said that 26% of Toyota’s sales in 2023 were directly from its marketing activities.
While the company is still measuring results from the first season of Grip, Tripp revealed its driven a 40% increase in brand awareness among its target audience.
