“If it scares you just a little, it’s probably the right thing to do.”

Tansky Sawmill Toyota Campaign

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As a family-owned, single-store dealership, Tansky Sawmill Toyota is usually at a disadvantage when it comes to competing for marketing media share. 

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When the opportunty arose to take advantage of a heavily discounted media buy the question posed to us was "What do we do with it?" After we talked for awhile we all agreed that even with this media buy, there was little chance to compete on monthly price incentives, and beside, Toyota corporate was already taking care of that for the region. 

All local automotive advertising in Columbus is seeing who can scream the loudest and/or be the craziest. While that might drive a sale here and there, we believed strongly that a campaign based on the truths that the Tansky family built their business on would further serve to highlight many of the philanthropic principles that Judy Tansky believed in. 

Truth and transparancy – even when it was difficult to do so,
a commitment to being community partners, and a willingness to make sure that their dealership was as environmentally friendly as possible with the construction of a new Gold LEED Certified building.

The idea was to identify unique passions that drive each employee–whether inside or outside of the organization. Finding the right stories and bringing them to life has been a great inspiration to all involved. 

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The first spot, featuring Judy Tansky, aired during the Columbus Red White and Boom telecast, as well as on the dealership's social medial channels. They were flooded with comments about how refreshing it was to see this kind of advertising from a car dealer. People wrote that they felt a bond with Judy, that they were touched by her humility, and that they would consider visiting the dealership the next time they needed service, or a new vehicle.

It's proof that strategically shaping and guiding the message can still help a client stand out even when they don't have a huge media budget. The second and third spots will roll out over the summer. Social media campaign and print campaigns are currently in the works.