• Ad Age, Tuesday, December 6, 2005 12:27 PM

Toyota is jumping on the branded integration bandwagon in a big way with Fox network's conspiracy thriller "24." In a new deal, the Japanese automaker's products will begin appearing in the upcoming fifth season of the show as well as in a mini-movie attached to the DVD release of the program's fourth season. In addition, a "making-of" special, which shows how the mini-movie was filmed, is airing on the Fox Movie Channel. The short film is intended to bridge the gap between season four and season five of the TV show. Toyota wanted to do more than just embed its cars into the show, working with the producers to come up with new content that moves the story along. "We wanted a fresh way to get involved with the show," said Rob Donnell, president of brand entertainment firm Brand Arc, which represents Toyota. "This is a short film that really shows off the cars." Toyota has stepped up its brand integration activity, said Mark Simmons, the marketer's national manager of advertising strategy and media, with a focus on TV. Various models have popped up on "Six Feet Under," "The O.C." and "Three Wishes." Such deals will be increasingly important as Toyota rolls out a number of new models in '06, he said.

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