Toyota, determined to make every last one of you believe the universe’s flagship beige sedan is cool, will now let the emojis do the work. But they’ll be straight from your nightmares—animated on the heads of humans, in a more terrifying manner than any Headless Horseman or Jack in the Box guy you’ve ever seen.
The company calls it a “unique approach” to advertising on Twitter, since the folks in the 2018 Camrys will have the faces of your recently tweeted emojis. Oh, yes, it did just get creepier. Your tweets will be stalked. From a press release on the ads:
Short social videos, each coming to life with different emotion-eliciting emojis, will be targeted to Twitter users based upon their recent emoji use on the platform. The “Sensations” campaign marks the first time this advertising strategy – with custom-built creative – has been employed by an automotive brand on Twitter.
Additionally, a series of artistic snackable videos playing with visual metaphors for the feelings that the new Camry will provoke will be featured on Facebook and Twitter. Utilizing a variety of assets like snackable videos, stills and GIFs, Instagram will create a collage that displays the vehicle, its features and the feelings it elicits.
You’d think our beloved #brands would get the message when the entire adult population—you know, the people who drive cars—groaned at the idea of The Emoji Movie. Even if they didn’t get it then, you’d think the message would be really clear after that thing got a 2/10 IMDb rating and an 8 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.
Nope! That wasn’t a clear message at all. Feel like tweeting an excited emoji? Think before you act.
Want to tweet about your recent nap? Maybe use your words instead.
Unfortunately, everyone, we’ve reached an age in which this is not only a suggestion, it is required: Use the poop emoji in every tweet. That’s the only way we can save ourselves from this madness.