Nick Jonas Crashes Toyota's Super Bowl Ad for the Tundra

Toyota's second Super Bowl ad is an upbeat comedy spotlighting the all-new 2022 Toyota Tundra. "The Joneses" is Toyota's second entry in the Big Game following its first ad "Brothers," the touching story of Paralympic and Olympic brothers who worked together to win gold at the Paralympics. "The Joneses" is a vastly different, wholly upbeat ad. The 60-second spot premiered at the start of the Toyota Halftime Report. In the spot, Toyota introduces viewers to the 2022 Toyota Tundra as two roar onto the scene—an empty desert, perfect for off roading. The drivers? Tommy Lee Jones and Leslie Jones. Soon, a third Tundra emerges to join the group in what appears to be a regular, friendly competition between Joneses. Keeping up with the … Jonases? Toyota lays the Jones references on thick in the ad, as the three veer off into the Jones Pass Colorado trail to the tune of Tom Jones' cheerful "It's Not Unusual." As all three cars finally come to a halt, a fourth Tundra pulls up. In a twist that the brand kept under wraps until airtime, Nick Jonas is behind the wheel. "It's keeping up with the Jonases now," he tells the somewhat puzzled Joneses, who reluctantly let him join the race. The auto company kept the full spot concealed until its Super Bowl premiere, but released three 15-second teasers last week. “The all-new 2022 Toyota Tundra has been years in the making and you only get one chance to make a first impression,” said Lisa Materazzo, group vice president, Toyota Marketing, Toyota Motor North America in a statement. “It’s only fitting that we launch the all-new Tundra, our biggest U.S. campaign launch ever, alongside this caliber of star power on the world’s largest advertising stage.” Toyota agency of record Saatchi & Saatchi created the ad, along with two-time Academy Award nominated director Bryan Buckley. Working with Toyota and Saatchi was a first for Buckley, a tenured director of Super Bowl spots well-known for his commercial work with other blue-chip brands including Microsoft, Capitol One and TurboTax. “I’ve directed many Big Game commercials,” said Buckley in a statement. “Each shoot brings its own excitement, but the star power of the actors and the all new 2022 Toyota Tundra took it to an epic level.” Buckley and Saatchi moved quickly to create the ad, Buckley told Adweek. "We shot the whole thing in four days, two days with talent, and two days of the running footage. And that's not a lot of time to shoot," he said. Tommy Lee Jones, Leslie Jones, Rashida Jones, and Nick Jonas extensively studied the truck footage to prepare for the ad. With so few lines in the spot, Buckley encouraged the actors to find ways to let their personalities shine through. "Tommy Lee has to stay Tommy within the world of Tommy Lee. We can't move [the actors] into something else," said Buckley. "So, extremely dry, you know? And Tommy Lee is going to do what he wants to do." The one exception, said Buckley, was Jonas, who didn't have a line in the original script. The creators decided to add in Jonas' line on the day of the shoot, encouraging the actor to push beyond his comfort zone to deliver the playful and competitive lines with very little preparation. "Jonases are apparently more flexible than Joneses. You know, Joneses only work within a certain range," Buckley joked of the decision. A Tundra for everyone With the ad, Toyota wanted to change the idea of what a truck person is, according to Saatchi & Saatchi chief creative officer Jason Schragger. "A truck person can be anyone from anywhere. It's because they've got something to do, they've got a life to live and a place to go," he said. With the ad, Toyota's brand leaders wanted to put a new spin on the old phrase, "keeping up with the Joneses" in the same way that the new Toyota Tundra puts a new twist on the full-size pickup, Materazzo told Adweek. For all the latest Super Bowl advertising news—who’s in, who’s out, teasers, full ads and more—check out Adweek’s Super Bowl 2022 Ad Tracker and the rest of our stories about the Big Game. And join us on the evening of Feb. 13 for the best in-game coverage of the commercials anywhere. Toyota Debuts Teasers for Its Second Super Bowl Ad This Year

Super Bowl Commercials

Nick Jonas Crashes Toyota's Super Bowl Ad Featuring Tommy Lee, Rashida and Leslie Jones

Saatchi & Saatchi and Academy Award-nominated director Bryan Buckley created the spot for the Tundra

Olivia Morley

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Olivia Morley