VIDEO: The JDM Toyota Prius is Superman. Or something
The Toyota Prius is super duper. Click above to watch video after the jump.
Here in the U.S., the advertising campaign for the 2010 Toyota Prius is all about shiny happy dancing people-flowers and that hypnotic mind-control song that plays in the background. It's humble. It's green. It's all very weird. But there's no disputing the message: if you love the Earth, you want a Prius. And a tree costume.
On Toyota's Japanese homepage, the message is more assertive. As you can see above, Kal-El – a.k.a. Superman – thinks the 2010 Prius is a Super Hybrid Car (all together now, with feeling: "SUPER HYBORIDOCAR!"). Seriously. Clark Kent is on the case in the TV commercial after the jump. Though many seem to like Toyota's American Prius advertising campaign, we think the Man of Steel is so much better than the neo-hippie Cirque du Soleil campaign we have here in the States, where Superman, you know, lives.
[Source: Toyota]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Andre Neves 4:08PM (9/17/2009)
I wonder what DC comics thinks about this or if they are aware of this.
An on a side note, superman doesn't need a Prius. He can just fly around the planet fast enough where all the carbon emission effects are reversed back to normal.
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James 4:18PM (9/17/2009)
They're probably quite happy about it. Because Toyota is probably paying them a hefty amount for the rights usage.
If you look closely at the top lefthand corner of the main image, you'll see "SUPERMAN: TM and Copyright DC Comics."
That means it's totally legal and paid for!
I dunno... I'm going to have to be the dissenter here. I much prefer our dancing people advertisements. They make me happy. This just makes me confused.
Temple 4:22PM (9/17/2009)
DC comics obviously knows about this, the upper-left hand corner of the image above has their trademark.
In 1984, Superman was in a French Renault Supercinq commercial.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqxhu1y6ymo
Superheros have been in a ton of commercials. Superman was also in a BurgerKing commercial and Spiderman in a Visa commerical.
Adam 4:09PM (9/17/2009)
and why are they shooting the commercial in Los Angeles?
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Glock22 4:11PM (9/17/2009)
I'll take a rehashed Superman bit over those awful, drug induced looking, dancing flower people in the US Prius ads. Those are stupidest car ads I have ever seen.
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Epyx 4:20PM (9/17/2009)
I agree 100%! If those blow hard commercials are not the worst ever they are damn close.
Those do more to reinforce the holier than thou stereotype of the Prius than any celebrity endorsement ever could.
The Prius uses less gas than other cars - it does not make flowers grow.
patrickhuynguyen 4:16PM (9/17/2009)
hahahha. that was funny. japanese do know how to do wacky fun commercials. as for the US Prius commercial, I think it looks fabulous in HD. but on SDTV, it looks a little cheesy.
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Epyx 4:21PM (9/17/2009)
The music is bad on any TV
Level 4:21PM (9/17/2009)
The Prius is Hippie in the US thats why the advertising here is soo colorful lol
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Epyx 4:22PM (9/17/2009)
I like this commercial WAY WAY WAY better than the Prius marketing here.
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Pokey 5:16PM (9/17/2009)
I like this commercial better than the "buy our car or kill the planet" Prius commercials they show here. But c'mon, Superman and a Prius? Not likely. I picture Superman being more of a Tesla Roadster type of guy.
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john.paulsson 7:00PM (9/17/2009)
Yeah, a Prius is totally what Clark Kent would drive...
Brian 5:32PM (9/17/2009)
It isn't as lame as putting it in the Transformers movie.
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rlewis01 5:38PM (9/17/2009)
Is it just me or is the Prius design getting a bit stale? Spruce it up Toyota!
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Pokey 6:58PM (9/17/2009)
Unfortunately, they just did.
Farmboy 7:28PM (9/17/2009)
I just ROFL'ed everywhere.
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turbozamboni 2:27AM (9/18/2009)
Everyone knows the big stars love to make an easy buck or two(million) doing Japanese commercials. Glad to see CK cashing in, after all his years of service, he deserves it ;)
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ansen 9:29AM (9/18/2009)
The Commercial makes sense in a Japanese sort of way really....for those of you who don't read any Japanese the first thing it says is " Scoop!! Super Hybrid Car" second line is a translation of "Get me a scoop" in Japanese and the last written line says " Big News".
So the ad is about how super it is, and in Japan there is always a spokesman, spokesmodel, mascot, etc... for products.
Super Man....Super Hybrid...
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