Escape Vehicle

A new campaign for Toyota Hellas looks, at first glance, like a Ford ad — because for Toyota, it doesn’t matter what car a woman drives, as long as she drives away from an abusive relationship.

In Greece, gender-based violence remains a critical issue: 37% of women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence, according to the European Institute for Gender Equality. The country ranks 26th out of 28 European nations on the Gender Equality Index.

Yet at a moment when support for survivors should be increasing, global funding for NGOs addressing gender-based violence is being cut.

Toyota Hellas chose to step in and become an “escape vehicle” for survivors by financially supporting DIOTIMA, an NGO that offers free legal and psychosocial services to women experiencing abuse.

The short film — created by Ogilvy Greece — captures the pivotal moment a woman leaves her abusive partner. Just before dawn, holding her half-asleep baby, she gathers only the essentials and escapes… in a Ford.

Toyota then signs the campaign with its message:
“It doesn’t matter what car you drive, as long as you get away.”

Directed by Argyris Papadimitropoulos and produced by Foss Productions, the film quickly went viral across Greek social media, generating thousands of emotional comments and shares in the days leading up to the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, observed annually on 25 November.