Toyota's "Wakudoki" Campaign: A Buzzworthy Hit from Asia

Toyota launched its internet-driven campaign "Do The 'Wakudoki'" targeting Asian markets. Featuring a unique video expressing "Wakudoki" (a feeling of excitement and anticipation), it aims to strengthen Toyota's image among young audiences in eight Asian countries: India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Within weeks of its YouTube release, it achieved one million views.

Produced by four companies under Dentsu Inc. Aegis Network, the video features a group resembling Japanese businessmen driving through a jungle in a Toyota vehicle. They stop the car, venture into the jungle to relieve themselves, and just as they breathe a sigh of relief, a giant gorilla appears before them... The businessmen are portrayed by the dance performance unit WORLD ORDER, whose popularity is rising internationally, showcasing their distinctive robotic-style dance moves.

The digital media-led campaign also features a contest where viewers submit their own "Wakudoki Dance" choreographed to the campaign song. Winners from each country will receive tickets to Tokyo.

Regarding the campaign, Ted Lim, COO of Dentsu Inc. Aegis Network Southeast Asia, stated, "Millennials (primarily late teens to twenties) are constantly connected online and spend a lot of time there. We wanted to capture them and give them a platform to express themselves. The huge response is truly 'exciting'."