How to Promote Toyota Camry’s New Safety Features? Build Them Into ‘the World’s Safest Bike’

Southeast Toyota Distributors—which supplies dealers in five U.S. states—and the Atlanta-based agency teamed up with New York-based Priority Bicycles to create the prototype, which includes extra sensors to detect objects that are dangerously close, and alert the rider through a multi-colored light panel (green is safe, yellow is dicey, red is danger).

There’s also a headlight that automatically moves up and down as the bike accelerates and decelerates—presumably to increase visibility further out as the vehicle moves faster.

These tools are all designed to pay homage to the tech on board the car—like a lane alert system that warns drivers when they’re drifting. But that spirit of mimicry is best served by the piece de resistance—a button on the bike that blares out the sound of an actual Camry car horn.

Southeast Toyota, 22squared and Priority also brought in Mike Senese, a television host on the Science Channel and executive editor of DIY publication Make: magazine, to help develop a bicycle that is also intended to spark conversation about using technology to improve safety for riders, without distracting them. (An estimated 1,000 cyclists die in accidents per year, the case study video warns).

“Our intent was to build something tangible together that showcases Toyota’s commitment to safety and raises awareness for an alarming problem out there within the biking community,” says Kevin Botfield, executive creative director at 22squared, in a statement comparing the prototype bike to a concept car. “And while we might not see a bike like this on the road just yet, we would like to change the way people view safety on the roads.”

It’s not the first automotive campaign, though, to extend a car brand’s safety message into the cycling category. In 2015, Volvo and Grey London created Life Paint—a reflective safety spray that could be used to help riders and their bicycles light up in headlights at night—distributing some 2,000 cans to local bike shops.

CREDITS:

Client: Southeast Toyota Distributors
Campaign Title: 2018 Camry Safer Bike
Agency: 22squared
Agency Location: Atlanta and Tampa
EVP, Chief Creative Officer: John Stapleton
SVP, Executive Creative Director: Kevin Botfeld
VP, Creative Directors: Mitch Segall, Eric Burke
Senior Digital Art Director: Stephen Bridges
Producer (SVP, Director of Integrated Production): Matt Silliman
EVP, Director of Creative Operations: Amanda Ferber
Group Account Director: Julie Winner
Account Supervisor: Christina Kendall
Account Executive: Kelsey Ann Williams
Director: Jay Buim
Creative Director: Falk Eumann
Tech Director: Sun Komen
Executive Producer: Adrianne McCurrach
Producer: Alexis Celic
Editorial Company: Captain and the Fox
Editor: Moss Levenson
Composer: Ben Rosen
Audio Record and Mix: Bare Knuckles
Sound Engineer: Chris Basta C1

Priority Bicycles:
Dave Weiner, Founder & CEO Priority Bicycles
Connor Swegle, Co-Founder & CMO Priority Bicycles
Mike Senese, Lead Technology Designer
Lauren Jones, Marketing & Creative Manager Priority Bicycles
Steve Szejnrok, Lead Mechanic & Bicycle Design Priority Bicycles