Cars & Toons

MANILA, Philippines - Nihon a.k.a. Japan... motherland to a long string of car manufacturers, and a completely different universe by itself! Years ago, people who would flock to the country would often find themselves “Lost in translation”... But no, times have changed, and now the rest of the world has begun to learn its language. And yes, the rest of the world includes the automotive industry!

An avid Japanese Pop Culture (Jpop) fan myself, it never fails to put a smile on my face whenever I notice that more and more car brands are beginning to embrace the universal appeal of Jpop and Anime in general. Frankly, I think that 2011 has been a strong year for this type of marketing – car brands have started to associate themselves with products or characters that have much to do with Anime, and it appears that this phenomenon is not limited to the confines of Southeast Asia.

Take for example, Toyota USA, who just this year launched a big commercial campaign in California for the 2011 Toyota Corolla, with Japanese virtual idol Miku Hatsune as its endorser! And yes, “virtual idol” means that this character does not really exist – she is in fact, a vocaloid; or merely a singing synthesizer program who was brought to virtual life by Crypton Future Media, a media company based in Sapporo, Japan.

Miku Hatsune currently enjoys celebrity-status in Japan, and has already sold-out several concerts in their country. And now, the 2011 Toyota Corolla is the official car of Hatsune Miku, with Toyota USA pointing out that both are driven by “the sound of success”. Having said all that, it is quite mind-blowing to realize that all this is a campaign not launched for the Japanese market, but for the USA.

Meanwhile, in the local scene, Mazda expresses its affinity to Jpop and the Anime scene with its Miyo Mazda campaign, a one-of-a-kind customization program that allows customers to personalize their Mazda 2 or Mazda 3 with unique decals and accessories. This extraordinary “Make It Your Own Mazda” campaign is marketed with a male and female Anime-style character, which perfectly matches its different design options and styles. It is yet another example of how the car industry is beginning to effectively utilize the universal charm and youthful beat of Jpop and Anime.

And the expression of such fondness of Anime and Mecha is not limited to Japanese car brands only, mind you! Chevrolet Philippines has made its own statement by coming up with its very own Chevrolet Robot mascot for the Chevy Spark (a.k.a Skidz)! The robot is often displayed during Chevrolet events in and out of the metro. I first chanced upon this mascot up close at the Chevy booth at the Metro Comicon held in Megamall early last May, amidst an ocean of cosplayers and Jpop fanatics. This robot counterpart of the Chevy Spark was an amusing large display right after the entrance of the Comicon, and blended-in seamlessly with the theme of the convention.

Moreover, just yesterday, Chevrolet also sponsored a premiere screening of the latest transformers movie – Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon, in SM Mall of Asia – thus reinforcing its obvious affinity with Mecha characters and the like.