“Back Seat Commentator” and “Soccer is Here”

Independent full-service advertising and marketing agency H/L Agency launches a campaign for NorCal Toyota that celebrates the Bay Area as one of the many host cities for one of the world’s biggest sporting moments and the international affinity for soccer.

The spots “Back Seat Commentator” and “Soccer is Here” tell the story of the sport in Northern California: the magnitude, the joy of the moment, and the experience as a cohesive brand story. From the wonders of childhood imagination in the backseat to the anticipation of the game, H/L cinematically captures Toyota as the vehicle that connects people to the experiences they care about. With fútbol serving as a cultural touchstone this year, every commute and local gathering becomes a host-city experience for Northern California. Together, the works show how sports are integrated into family traditions and rituals while also telling the story of soccer culture in California.

Created by H/L and produced by its in-house integrated production team, Wolfhouse, both “Back Seat Commentator” and “Soccer is Here” position Toyota at the center of the sporting experience. For the Hispanic Market, “Back Seat Commentator” follows a boy riding with his father in the family’s Toyota RAV4, narrating the journey to a practice in the style of an enthusiastic fútbol commentator as if it were the match of a lifetime, transforming a simple car ride into a moment of imagination and connection. H/L’s One-Market spot “Soccer is Here” captures the brimming pride and anticipation in the lead-up to a major sporting event, leaning into the vibrancy of Northern California while lensing Toyota as the vehicle that helps people move toward their passions.

In addition to the commercials, H/L has created an influencer experiential campaign, “Toyota Fútbol Tour,” with Toyota bringing the excitement of the sport directly into local communities through a series of co-ed matches and experiential activations. Designed as a series of events for communities to come together, participate, and share in the excitement of the game, H/L connects brand storytelling with local engagement and live events while deepening Toyota’s relationship with consumers during one of the year’s most significant cultural events.

H/L VP Director of Multicultural Marketing, Yunilda Esquivel, says of the campaign, “Fútbol is not confined to the 90 minutes of play, especially for Latino families. It’s a source of joy that finds its way into everyday life. The excitement of the sport becomes contagious, passed from generation to generation through countless small moments. This inspired us to create intimate glimpses of joy that put Toyota as the vehicle that helps families make memories. This campaign is a great example of how H/L leverages the local passion for sports to generate impactful Toyota campaigns that connect on a deeper cultural level."