Toyota was releasing a new full-size pickup truck. An important target was middle America high school football fans. However, this target felt Toyota was an outsider and did not share the same interests or values.

So a grassroots PR effort was created using the idea of finding the “gutsiest” high school football teams in the country. The teams that made final selection were featured in videos that ran during the extremely popular Sunday Night Football show.The estimated value of LOS 2008 press coverage was $698,781, a 21% increase over 2007, and an 886% increase over 2006.

We would travel across the country in search of these “gutsy” teams. The hope was to generate tons of local PR by contacting local TV stations and press about a huge brand like Toyota visiting their town to feature their team on national television. Each team that made the cut was featured in an original documentary series that ran during Toyota’s NBC Sunday Night Football halftime show. During the show, the host actually did a throw introducing the video, and often, the halftime hosts commented on the video after it ran.

The estimated value of LOS 2008 press coverage was $698,781, a 21% increase over 2007, and an 886% increase over 2006.

The Statistics:1) 1% lift against commercial minute average (an additional 1.12 million viewers vs. commercials) 2) LOS average rating up by 2% 3) 21% increase in press coverage (PR) 4) In 2008, LOS A18-49 ratings indexed at 101 above the commercial minute average and 102 for M18-495) The A18-49 LOS average rating went up 2%6) The segment held viewers and outperformed the halftime norm +4% 7) Toyota scored highest rating of all automobile manufacturers in product placement in sports