A Toyota Times livestream on October 13 outlined a new direction for Toyota's five brands. What is the restructuring likely to achieve? We share the key takeaways.
TOYOTA：TO YOU
While Century and Lexus divide up the so-called “upscale” segment, the high-volume mass market is served by the Toyota brand, with its full lineup and multi-pathway approach.
“With such a wide range of models, I was at a complete loss in deciding on a message and what we wanted to say,” admits Makoto Shinohara of advertising firm Makoto Shinohara Jimusho, who handled the Toyota commercial.
Reflecting on the words of Chairman Toyoda, Shinohara realized that Toyota’s message of “Mobility for All” placed a strong emphasis on the individual, each and every one of us.
Shinohara
Rather than “for all,” it felt closer to “for you.”
But that still didn’t feel quite right...
Then a copywriter working with me came up with the words “to you.” That hit the nail on the head.
Shinohara
Rather than “for all,” it felt closer to “for you.”
But that still didn’t feel quite right...
Then a copywriter working with me came up with the words “to you.” That hit the nail on the head.
“Every year, nearly 10 million customers choose a Toyota car. What we must never forget is that these 10 million are not a single customer, but 10 million individuals. The words “To You” sum that up perfectly. For me, that really hit home.” (Chairman Toyoda)
GR：THE SOUL LIVES ON.
Unlike the three Toyota brands we’ve already looked at, GR will not be exhibiting at this year’s JMS.
The company is busy preparing for Tokyo Auto Salon, an annual festival for car lovers held early in the new year.
At the same time, however, GR is also dropping some hints. On October 10, a billboard at Fuji Speedway’s penultimate corner, known as the “GR Supra Corner,” was updated with a rather cryptic advertisement...
When pressed for details on the highly anticipated new model, Chairman Toyoda grinned and replied, “I'll do a world premiere at the end of the year. You’ll have to wait till then.”
On the program, we also showed off the engine sound—an element close to the Chairman’s heart—sparking a great deal of excitement in the comments.
Through its motorsport endeavors, GR continues to pursue the joy of driving. Although the announcement was shrouded in secrecy, it certainly piqued the interest of car lovers.
Daihatsu: Daihatsumei for me
Of the five, the only brand with different roots is Daihatsu. As for its position among the Toyota brands, the keyword given by Chairman Toyoda was omoroi (interesting, fun, creative), recalls Toshiyuki Konishi of POOL Inc., the man behind the new commercial.
Konishi
At the outset, the mission we received from the Chairman was to “bring back the omoroi Daihatsu.”
To someone from Osaka, omoroi means having good taste, a quick wit, and lots of ideas. My first visit to the Daihatsu head office was an “aha” moment.
For Daihatsu, the spotlight is not on the car but on everyday life. Throughout its history, the company has shaped each product by listening directly to the voices of people on the street, and the needs of the times.
On top of that, I came to really appreciate that there are certain things only small cars are capable of, and each is an invention crammed with incredible technologies.
This insight led to the tag line “Daihatsumei for me,” playing on the Japanese word hatsumei (invention).
Invention is the Toyota Group’s starting point, tracing back to Sakichi Toyoda and his automatic loom. The new commercial begins with the Midget, the car that made Daihatsu a household name, and closes with the Midget X, which will be on display at the upcoming JMS.
“It’s a return to the company’s origins,” explained CBO Humphries. “Daihatsu’s strength lies in underpinning everyday life, whether in cities or the countryside.”
On the program, Konishi also offered a glimpse behind the scenes, revealing how an “omoroi” staff suggestion led to Daihatsu’s red logo being replaced with a colorful version, in keeping with the fun tone of the “Daihatsumei for me” tag line.
Chairman Toyoda
I think Daihatsu has always been that kind of company. Coming from Osaka, they should lean into that playful Kansai style.
We were fortunate to form a relationship in the 1960s, and today the company is a wholly owned subsidiary, but I applaud Daihatsu’s independence, which keeps them from drawing too close to Toyota.
I hope Daihatsu’s stakeholders watch this commercial and it becomes like a rallying cry for the company. If Suzuki and Daihatsu continue to spur each other on as rivals creating cars for the people, I think Japan’s roads will come to look very different.
At JMS, Toyota and Daihatsu will have neighboring booths, without so much as a partition between them. Century and Lexus are also set to join them in the same hall.
Full array of Toyota mobility at JMS
The livestream showcased several of the vehicles that will be on display at JMS. As CBO Humphries emphasized, “We always build concept cars with genuine intent. Getting good reactions at shows brings them closer to becoming production models.”
To close out the program, Chairman Toyoda delivered a message to viewers.
Chairman Toyoda
Toyota strives to be on the shopping lists of customers around the world, and to help them create countless lasting memories. To achieve this vision, this mission, we collectively put everything we have into creating our products.
At Toyota, all 383,000 of us are working as one to bring more people along for the journey, to get excited about the products that we will create next, and the memories and stories that we will weave together.
I sincerely hope you will follow along with interest and look forward to the products that Toyota is bringing into the world.
Toyota has unveiled its new brand formation. The direction of each brand can be seen in the commercials we have covered, and above all, in the products that will be on display at JMS.
We encourage everyone to drop by the Japan Mobility Show to see these mobility innovations up close, and experience firsthand the world envisioned by the five brands.
Our program also features candid chats between Chairman Toyoda and the three leading creators, offering a behind-the-scenes look at how Toyota commercials are made.
For those who missed the 90-minute livestream, including all the action in the comments, make sure to check out the link below!
Japan Mobility Show 2025
Dates: Thursday, October 30 – Sunday, November 9
*October 30 is Official Day. General public access begins Friday, 31 October.
Venue: Tokyo Big Sight
Website: https://www.japan-mobility-show.com/en/