• Adweek, Tuesday, August 1, 2006 1 PM

In a marketing first, automaker Toyota is creating a comedy series designed specifically for multimedia mobile phones that is partly promoted through commercials that will run on traditional TV. The series will feature the Toyota Camry, and is believed to be the first branded entertainment series created for the videophone medium. The series, called "The Pool," will cost Toyota $10 million--and targets young urban influencers. The carmaker hopes it will pass along the mobile episodes to a wider audience. The Camry is displayed prominently in the series, which even highlights some of the car's new features. The premiere is set for Aug. 9, and will be available to about 1 million users of Sprint/Nextel video-enabled phones. Custom-made mobile phone content is still a new concept, but it's expected to grow as more consumers buy videophones. "It's one of the directions the business is heading toward as we all look for unique ways to position products in the marketplace," says Nancy Galen, who heads Nanmade Entertainment.

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