Audio Drives Awareness and Demand for Toyota Electrified Vehicles

Consumer interest in hybrid and battery electric vehicles is evolving. With purchase incentives like tax credits going away, automotive brands now need to work harder to drive demand. While many consumers remain curious about electrified vehicles, questions around practicality, convenience, and everyday usability continue to slow adoption. 

That’s where audio stands out. Nearly six in 10 SiriusXM Media listeners either already own a hybrid or battery electric vehicle or have some knowledge/interest in doing so in the future. 1Podcasts, in particular, align with audiences who are curious, eager to learn, and tech-savvy.

In this case study, you’ll see how we delivered a digital audio strategy designed to drive awareness and demand for the Toyota bZ.

The challenge

Toyota needed to break through skepticism for consumers to notice, consider, and care about the Toyota bZ.

Increasing electrified vehicle adoption

The automotive brand sought to increase awareness, favorability, and consideration for the bZ among adults 18 and up, particularly EV intenders. But like many automakers in the category, the brand faced a marketplace where consumers were becoming more cautious to buy.

Overcoming consumer hesitation

Beyond simple awareness, Toyota needed to shift perception. Consumers questioned whether EVs fit their lifestyles, whether ownership would be easy, and whether electrified vehicles were truly exciting to drive. The brand needed a media environment capable of both educating and inspiring prospective buyers.

The solution

Podcasts and streaming audio create space for deeper storytelling, trusted recommendations, and repeated exposure, allowing brands to educate consumers while building emotional connections. SiriusXM Media worked with Saatchi & Saatchi, Toyota’s advertising agency of record, to develop a multipronged campaign to engage consumers who are most likely to consider buying an electrified vehicle.

Pairing trusted podcast voices with streaming scale

We developed a multi-platform audio strategy that combined the intimacy of podcasts with the reach and frequency of streaming audio. The campaign targeted audio streamers and podcast listeners identified as EV auto intenders through a custom audience strategy.

Leveraging host-read storytelling

Podcast host reads became a centerpiece of the campaign, allowing trusted voices to authentically discuss Toyota’s electrified vehicles in ways that felt personal, relatable, and educational. Science- and technology-focused podcasts including Hidden Brain, Ologies with Alie Ward, and Freakonomics are especially effective in connecting with people interested in innovation and emerging technology.

Building frequency across audio touchpoints

To reinforce messaging, we paired podcast ads with streaming audio ads, mobile dynamic audio, and streaming cross-device display. This layered approach was designed to help Toyota maximize both incremental reach and repeated exposure—a critical combination for a category that often requires consumers to more thoroughly evaluate the costs and benefits of ownership.

The results

The campaign successfully drove double-digit, statistically significant lifts in brand attributes, including overcoming some top objections to owning electric vehicles. Podcasts were highly effective, highlighting the impact of personal endorsements from host-read ads.

Delivering double-digit, cross-funnel lifts

The campaign drove lifts across key brand metrics among adults 18-34, demonstrating audio’s ability to influence both awareness and consideration for electrified vehicles. 

Shifting consumer perception

Beyond core brand metrics, the campaign successfully addressed several of the biggest barriers to electrified vehicle adoption. 

Turning audio success into an ongoing strategy

Successful audio campaigns like this have led Toyota to expand its investment with SiriusXM Media, with multiple waves of campaigns around its family of electrified vehicles. The brand’s audio strategy has expanded from education-focused messaging into broader lifestyle storytelling, reinforcing digital audio’s ability to evolve consumer perception over time. 

Accelerate awareness and drive sales with SiriusXM Media

The path to purchase is winding, and digital audio meets buyers at every turn. Over eight in 10 Americans ages 12 and up are listening to digital audio, 2 tuning in for over four hours a day. 3 And it’s with consumers wherever they are, including the most important native advertising moment for automotive brands: behind the wheel. 

Launching a new electrified vehicle? Let’s talk.

More proof that audio drives results for auto brands