Toyota Creates a SpongeBob Themed Sienna Minivan for the LA Auto Show inspired by the movie: ‘’Sponge out of the Water’’

Three-Dimensional SpongeBob Concept Car to Take Families on an All-Wheel Drive Adventure Promotional Tour Leading Up to Feature Film’s Feb. 6, 2015 Premiere

Nickelodeon and Toyota have partnered to transform everyone’s absorbent pal into a new 3-D concept car based on Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies’ upcoming film, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water.  The SpongeBob Movie 2015 Toyota Sienna features a custom three-dimensional SpongeBob SquarePants exterior, complete with the character’s Superhero Incredible mask that blows real bubbles at the top of the car.  The interior features seating inspired by each of SpongeBob’s Bikini Bottom pals, along with a wood-grain dashboard, a custom Captain’s steering wheel, a blue-sky head liner and a sand-inspired floor. 

Nickelodeon Group already has seen the popularity of "everyone's porous pal." SpongeBob, the star of the network's highest-rated animated series, has 80 million Facebook followers, says Pam Kaufman, chief marketing officer for the network.

Moreover, "post-Millennials," as the current generation of kids is being called, love spending time with their parents more than anything. Parents are hyperfocused on spending time with their kids. It's the kids who are deciding where to go on vacation and what vehicle to buy.

Toyota showed the SpongeBob Sienna at the press preview of the Los Angeles Auto Show. The concept is meant to draw attention to the upscale minivan, a vehicle segment that has been challenged by a lingering "mom jeans" image as crossovers SUVs stay in vogue.

 

Now, Toyota hopes that kids will convince their parents that minivans are cool again. “It's not kids. It's kids and families," says Jack Hollis, vice president of marketing for Toyota.
 

The minivan is meant to promote "The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water." It will be the second SpongeBob theatrical adventure when it appears in February and the first in which the characters leave the depths to venture on to dry land.

“SpongeBob SquarePants continues to be at the center of pop culture, and through this promotion with our wonderful partners at Toyota, we have created his next iconic moment with a truly unique vehicle that captures all of the high-octane energy of Paramount’s highly anticipated feature film,” said Pam Kaufman, Chief Marketing Officer, Nickelodeon Group.   

“Toyota is again teaming up with SpongeBob to help him and his friends go places in a custom ride inspired by their upcoming dry land adventures,” said Jack Hollis, vice president of marketing for Toyota. “The 2015 Sienna is a perfect choice for families and superheroes alike – offering seating for up to eight and a bubble blower attachment feature to boot.”   

Special attention was paid to the inside, not just the outside. In the Sienna's latest redesign, Toyota worked extra hard to dress up the minivan's interior. Toyota wants visitors to notice the upscale materials and other touches that were put into the minivan's cabin. Each of the seats will be themed to highlight one of SpongeBob's friends.

 

For Nickelodeon, the van and its resulting multi-city tour make for a handy device to hype the movie.

"We are so psyched. It looks incredible," Kaufman said.

The SpongeBob Toyota Sienna promotion will also be supported online with a custom channel on nick.com and promoted through on-air as well as digital display advertising and social media.  Beginning Dec. 15 fans can log onto www.nick.com/toyota  to get more information on tour stops and access a gallery of images of the SpongeBob Movie vehicle.