Jack Blog
September 16th, 2011 By Jack Morton
Next time you get a creepy phone call from a complete stranger who tells you he’s running from the police and needs a safe place he and Trigger – his pit bull – can crash, don’t worry. It may just be Toyota trying to get your attention.
The campaign – by Saatchi and Saatchi – is the latest entrant into the “seemed like a good idea at the time” brand-stunt lotto. The Toyota Matrix was targeting young males who love to punk their friends. So why not set up an elaborate prank that lets people think they’re being stalked by a criminal-on-the-lam?
Well, very soon there may be 10 million reasons why not, as the news came out yesterday that a lawsuit filed by one terrified woman who was unknowingly sucked into the ruse was given the go-ahead from a California Appellate Court. D’oh.
Next time you’re thinking about pulling a brand prank, skip the PR or ad agency and go right to the pros – I’m sure the guys over at “Jackass” have tons of great ideas on getting attention.