Toyota Ad Represents Changes For Minivans

"Swagger Wagon" Campaign Shows Shift in Demographics

Fair or not, minivans had certain stigma attached to them.  The idea of "soccer parents" carting around a family or carrying groceries was the label of a minivan consumer.  However, a new ad campaign from Toyota is aiming to change the way people look at minivan customers. 

A series of ads for the Toyota Sienna, dubbed "The Swagger Wagon", depicts a family (the Sienna Family) cracking jokes and enjoying themselves. One ad in particular has the Mom and Dad rapping about parental safety. 

The video has gained press and over four million hits on Youtube.  See the ad here: 

Other companies are following Toyota's lead.  Recently Dodge announced a special edition of the Grand Caravan minivan that will be sportier and geared towards men.  Honda's 2010 Odyssey minivan was also redesigned to look more "athletic." 

Minivans, with their sliding doors, roomy interiors and low center of gravity, offer convenience and safety -- and new models include entertainment systems that keep children occupied during long trips.

"For the family, it's very convenient," said David Dutch, a natural gas trader who bought a fully loaded Chrysler Town & Countr River Oaks Chrysler Jeep in Houston.  Dutch's comments originally appeared in a Detroit News article.

In designing the new models, automakers are trying to appeal to a wider audience -- and retain their traditional buyers: young families, followed by empty-nesters who are often grandparents.

Wherever the minvan market ends up, West Herr will be on top of it.  For minivans in Western New York, visit us online today.