Toyota celebrates herritage day with the help of Woza Moya

Toyota South Africa and its long-standing agency, FCB Johannesburg, have created a “beaded billboard” with the help of Woza Moya to thank Toyota Corolla owners for the role they play in making the Corolla nameplate a success.

In the Zulu culture, love letters are traditionally crafted out of beadwork by the women. Each is a work of art and totally unique. This truly South African declaration of love seemed like a fitting way to celebrate South Africa’s most loved car.

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Arguably one of the world’s largest beaded creations, the Corolla billboard was unveiled on September 17.

Located on the M1 De Villiers Graaff highway – after the Crown Interchange and before the Booysens interchange – the beaded billboard was on display until October 16.

There could not have been a more opportune time to thank Corolla drivers as the nameplate has become something of an icon in South Africa.

Coinciding with the national heritage month, the Corolla is in its own right a heritage model in the Toyota fleet.

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That its billboard is made from beads is also fitting in celebrating its heritage, as beads are themselves considered a continental heritage. As a cultural heritage, beads have served as jewellery, pieces of art, haute couture as well as royal regalia in Africa from as far back as 12 000 years ago.

The beaded billboard measures 12m by 9m, weighs over a ton, and comprises over 138 000 individual beads sewn together by 350 women crafters from Woza Moya.

Woza Moya is the economic empowerment project of the Hillcrest Aids Centre Trust in KwaZulu-Natal, the province where Toyota SA has manufactured Corolla since 1972.

In addition to the billboard the crafters have also beaded 7 500 individual Corolla beaded love letters for new Corolla buyers and Toyota staff.

Now well into its 11th generation, and more than 50 years since being introduced onto the market, there is no doubt that Toyota has had enough time to perfect the Corolla recipe.

Not only does it remain the world’s bestselling nameplate in automotive history, it is still one of the most popular vehicles in this company’s line-up.

Janine Kleinschmidt, creative director responsible for the design explained, “Toyota SA wanted to celebrate the fact that Corolla has been the most loved car in South Africa since ‘forever’, while entrenching its positioning ‘Love Driving’.

The intricate workmanship in the Special Edition Corolla launched earlier this year was evocative of the uniquely South African visual language of Zulu love letters, so we used this to direct the artwork and design of the campaign.

“We absolutely love what we’ve achieved,  and we’re thrilled that Toyota SA insisted the campaign include a large corporate social responsibility element. It has been an honour to work with the crafters from Woza Moya.”