Spotlight Review: Toyota 'Move Ahead' by The & Partnership

Released 6 months ago, this Toyota Corolla ad has recently caught my attention and not for a good reason. I can't really fault the storyline here, it's practically a John Lewis Christmas ad compared to a lot of other automotive commercials. What I can't help feel really lets this ad down is the accompanying soundtrack. The voiceover at the end of the ad asks "As the world moves forward what will your choice be?', and whilst I can't hear Toyota shouting 'stay in the past', their choice of the 1930s Jazz track 'Sing Sing Sing' answers their own question for them and not in a good way. Does familiarity sell? Maybe. But the reality is this song has been done to death with previous ads for brands including Knorr, Guiness and Virgin all opting to play it safe with a well known classic.
​I should say, I have nothing against this track; Benny Goodman is a Jazz legend and the song itself is packed with energy. Which is why brands should give it the respect it deserves. Instead of plonking it behind a moving picture, craft it to create something which actually complements the content it's accompanying. By all means, Toyota could have started with the 1930s instrumentation but then morphed the track from classical to synthetic creating a modernised electronic revamp of the classic. A style which I think would marry perfectly with the promotion of an electric vehicle and make an initially unoriginal choice into something really authentic.