Toyota's Hybrid Community Website Relaunched

Toyota is motoring into the world of user-generated content and community sites with a re-launch of its hybrid community website.

by Helen Leggatt

Toyota's hybrid website, Hybrid Synergy Drive®, shows how more and more businesses are developing their sites by integrating traditionally non-commercial internet features such as blogs, wiki’s or profiles.

Last year, Nielsen/NetRatings announced that user-generated content sites comprised five out of the top 10 fastest growing Web brands.

"Toyota's more than 600,000 hybrid owners are very passionate about their vehicles and the reasons they drive them," said Gregg Benkendorfer, National Manager of Media Strategy and Digital Marketing for Toyota. "The new community site taps into that excitement by letting users visually represent themselves through graphic art and video.” Customers are encouraged to submit written or visual messages to the site outlining their reasons for purchasing a hybrid and formulate a profile and visual representation of themselves.

The site, developed by Saatchi & Saatchi, Firstborn Interactive and Vital Stream, also includes fun features such as an interactive distance map and gas savings calculator.