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Hatsune Miku used to sell Toyota cars...in America

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Torquey Dreamworks Since: Oct, 2010
Dreamworks
#1: May 6th 2011 at 3:05:29 AM

I don't really know if this is the right place to put this, but WHAT THE HELL.

Sabbo Since: Jan, 2001
#2: May 6th 2011 at 3:08:10 AM

Um. Wow.

...That's a rather small demographic Toyota is aiming for there.

LanceOmikron Since: Sep, 2009 Relationship Status: Hugging my pillow
#3: May 6th 2011 at 4:01:24 AM

Wow is right. I couldn't even bring myself to watch the whole thing. I think I'll just quietly pretend that this never happened. Poor Miku...

(Also, somebody was paid to write that commercial's narration. They were given money for it. Someone (heck, several someones) thought they did a good job. My god...)

EDIT: well, I managed to watch the final 11 seconds of the commercial. Save for the awful narration, that seven-second clip of her concert was a breath of fresh air.

edited 6th May '11 4:09:30 AM by LanceOmikron

Raso Cure Candy Since: Jul, 2009
Cure Candy
#4: May 6th 2011 at 4:05:41 AM

Its the standard voice for Toyota commercials.

Here is it embeded.

Sparkling and glittering! Jan-Ken-Pon!
KSPAM PARTY PARTY PARTY I WANNA HAVE A PARTY from PARTY ROCK Since: Oct, 2009 Relationship Status: Giving love a bad name
PARTY PARTY PARTY I WANNA HAVE A PARTY
#5: May 6th 2011 at 4:30:03 AM

Wat.

I've got new mythological machinery, and very handsome supernatural scenery. Goodfae: a mafia web serial
Sabbo Since: Jan, 2001
#6: May 6th 2011 at 4:44:22 AM

That ad would never air here.

[/purely basing this on the fact that we're the only country left still getting people to jump at the end of every Toyota ad]

Also, I'd like to think that Toyota's Australia people are smart enough to not do this kind of commercial suicide. Pun noted and amusing.

KousakaKirino Otaku Surrogate Since: Jan, 2011
#7: May 6th 2011 at 5:07:23 AM

This'll never work. /a/ is also raging about this, last I checked.

Imoutos are the best! Follow at your own risk. Tumblr.
Miijhal Since: Jul, 2011
#8: May 6th 2011 at 5:11:49 AM

...I'm not sure I get the backlash.

I mean, the eyes, yeah, but it's not like Miku concerts were much better.

AikoHeiwa I AM NOT A TREE from Aikoland Since: Feb, 2011
I AM NOT A TREE
#9: May 6th 2011 at 5:12:59 AM

I'm confused...to say the least.

NO TREE FOR ME (ALSO LOVES HER BOYFRIEND)
Raso Cure Candy Since: Jul, 2009
Cure Candy
#10: May 6th 2011 at 5:15:39 AM

[up][up] Well there is nothing really in common between them . No promotional item to buy the car, no game release in the US on the Sega side of things to make this actually make sense, no nothing. And Look at that art... seriously wtf it reminds me of the mega man games back on the NES.

I dont think its going to backlash its just going to fall flat.

edited 6th May '11 5:17:08 AM by Raso

Sparkling and glittering! Jan-Ken-Pon!
Sabbo Since: Jan, 2001
#11: May 6th 2011 at 5:20:50 AM

[up][up][up]Like I said, Toyota seems to be aiming for a terribly small demographic here. The number of people who would consider buying a Toyota in the near future is so many, many times greater than the number of people who like Vocaloid, let alone that specific one.

I can somewhat understand a marketing campaign such as this in Japan, but outside Japan this isn't going to do much good.

EDIT: Question. Has this been seen on TV, or is it an internet-only thing?

edited 6th May '11 5:21:33 AM by Sabbo

Arilou Taller than Zim from Quasispace Since: Jan, 2001
Taller than Zim
#12: May 6th 2011 at 5:28:25 AM

I'd figure it was just a japanese commercial they dubbed over but... Yeah.

"No, the Singularity will not happen. Computation is hard." -Happy Ent
Fawriel Since: Jan, 2001
#13: May 6th 2011 at 5:34:29 AM

So are they really airing that on TV and stuff? I can only imagine it hurting Toyota's reputation.

EternalSeptember Since: Sep, 2010
#14: May 6th 2011 at 5:55:43 AM

I don't see any problem with it, it's not like any of the other commercials in the past decade made any sense for the mainstream audience either, so it isn't worse than them.

Gearhead Even in your forums, FOE Since: May, 2011
Even in your forums, FOE
#15: May 6th 2011 at 6:10:56 AM

They're misreading fans of Miku terribly. Miku has an undercurrent among fans of being a 'singer' as much as anything else. You don't see musical artists getting screen time in commercials under normal circumstances.

There's also a strong, negative reaction among fans when you deviate too far from Miku's traditional appearance. You can't get away with heavy redesigns of her look because it becomes.. well.. 'no longer Miku' because she's been so strongly anthropomorphized.

T-bone61 [Today's Jo Jo] (Handed A Sword) Relationship Status: Gay for Big Boss
[Today's Jo Jo]
#16: May 6th 2011 at 10:44:12 AM

/a/ is raging

Gee, what a surprise.

This certainly is an odd choice, though. I wonder what the rationale behind it was.

Gearhead Even in your forums, FOE Since: May, 2011
Even in your forums, FOE
#17: May 6th 2011 at 11:04:32 AM

'Kids on Facebook love this 'Meeku' thing. Let's put it in a commercial and attract kids to buy our cars!'

Rynnec Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: Healthy, deeply-felt respect for this here Shotgun
#18: May 6th 2011 at 11:10:56 AM

I think using Meiko, or Luka would've been more appropriate for attracting a western audience. Miku's desing is just too...niche(for lack of a better word) to the average westerner.

kyun Since: Dec, 2010
#19: May 6th 2011 at 11:12:30 AM

The wh—- h—- th—- ...

Gearhead Even in your forums, FOE Since: May, 2011
Even in your forums, FOE
#20: May 6th 2011 at 11:18:36 AM

The reason they used Miku is that this is probably an attempt to drum up attention for the pending release of the Miku English Voicebank.

Aondeug Oh My from Our Dreams Since: Jun, 2009
Oh My
#21: May 6th 2011 at 11:19:47 AM

This marketing decision confuses me. Oh well...at least the thread has me thinking of Luka giving Miku English lessons...that lead to raging lesbianism...

So thank you Toyota. You reminded me of Luka/Miku.

edited 6th May '11 11:20:05 AM by Aondeug

If someone wants to accuse us of eating coconut shells, then that's their business. We know what we're doing. - Achaan Chah
LouieW Loser from Babycowland Since: Aug, 2009
Loser
#22: May 6th 2011 at 12:45:51 PM

I agree with Raso about the art. It seems a little different than how I have seen Miku depicted in the past. I am not sure I understand this marketing idea either, especially for a commercial in a U.S. market where I imagine the character of Miku Hatsune is not known very well at all. I guess part of the issue for me is that I do not think the styles match.

If I remember correctly, there have been some Japanese commercials that featured Miku, but I thought they tended to be in a style that was similar to her's (i.e. somewhat more animation/cartoon based). Cars do not seem to really fit that image to me, but then again some people might not think there is much of a problem with Uncanny Valley here at all.

edited 6th May '11 12:48:37 PM by LouieW

"irhgT nm0w tehre might b ea lotof th1nmgs i dont udarstannd, ubt oim ujst goinjg to keepfollowing this pazth i belieove iN !!!!!1 d
Miijhal Since: Jul, 2011
#23: May 6th 2011 at 1:23:20 PM

Frankly, I'm more happy about this than anything. It means Vocaloid is starting to get more Western exposure. It'd be nice to see more western musicians use the software for something other than god-awful covers.

edited 6th May '11 1:24:56 PM by Miijhal

Aondeug Oh My from Our Dreams Since: Jun, 2009
Oh My
#24: May 6th 2011 at 1:30:53 PM

...stop making me think about those covers, Miijhal. STOP IT.

-flashbacks to National Anthem-

OH GOD WHY

If someone wants to accuse us of eating coconut shells, then that's their business. We know what we're doing. - Achaan Chah
Tumbril Since: Feb, 2010
#25: May 6th 2011 at 3:02:20 PM

I'm not really opposed to this or anything (or at least, I don't feel any rage building in me that HOW DARE THEY TAINT MAI WAIFU MIKU), but I'm just kind of puzzled what benefits they thought they would get from this.

Tumblr here.

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