• by Karl Greenberg , September 20, 2010

Toyota is launching a Web series as part of its AutoBiography social media campaign to promote Camry and Corolla. The new video series running on Break Media's network of sites features standup comics doing monologues about their first cars.

The new video series, "Standup Stories," has six comedians riffing on the theme. The videos have the comics performing in front of a live audience of some 75 people at Hollywood's Improv comedy club.

The first video went live on Monday, with new routines rolling out in coming weeks. The videos are both at Break.com/toyota and on Toyota's AutoBiography Facebook page. Break was also involved in Toyota's "swagger wagon" effort for the new Sienna minivan.

Kim Kyaw, Toyota's media strategist, says the effort is intended to get more guys engaged. "A lot of the content has tended to resonate with a female demographic. The comedy angle gave us something for men to enjoy as well. She points out that Break Media's network of sites reaches more than 100 million men 18 to 34 years of age each month. She says Toyota is piggy-backing on the network. "Break Media provided recommendations of comedians and we chose from those." She says the comedians were given creative direction.

The AutoBiography program, which started in June and runs through November, has included broadcast, print and digital advertising. "So far, we are doing very well," says Kyaw. "We have gotten over 8,000 stories," she says.