Toyota finds a new rhythm with Asia's music makers

Toyota Motor Asia is tapping into Asia's music scene with a new regional culture initiative that turns the sounds of its vehicles into original tracks created by artists across six markets.

Titled "Move your world beat", the initiative was developed in collaboration with VIRTUE Asia and extends Toyota's existing "Move your world" brand platform into music and creator culture. It aims to bring established and emerging artists together to reinterpret elements of their cultures through contemporary music.

The initiative has kicked off with a TikTok-led creator programme featuring artists from Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

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Among those taking part are Malaysian multi-instrumentalist and DJ Belle Sisoski, Pakistani musician and ethnomusicologist Natasha Noorani, Miguel Benjamin and Paolo Benjamin of Filipino indie folk-pop band Ben&Ben, Singaporean indie singer-songwriter and producer Shye, Thai-Italian singer-songwriter Valentina Ploy, and Vietnamese music producer and DJ 2pillz.

As part of the programme, the artists were tasked with creating original music using sounds produced by a Toyota vehicle, ranging from subtle clicks and ambient hums to engineered tones.

Each artist then reworks the sounds through their own musical style, turning functional elements of the vehicle into tracks informed by their individual creative and cultural identities.

Through the concept, Toyota is looking to position movement beyond its traditional association with mobility, framing it as something that can also take place culturally and emotionally. The initiative also puts creators at the centre of the brand platform, with Toyota providing the vehicle sounds and broader creative framework for artists to interpret.

"Move your world beat" will culminate in a regional collective track bringing together the musical contributions of artists from all six markets. The collaborative track is slated to be released later this year.

“At its heart, Move Your World is about Toyota's commitment to the communities in Asia, the freedom to move, and the thrill and joy of moving forward together. With Move Your World Beats, we bring that same spirit to music, a universal language that unites our communities and moves us all a little closer," said Jaja Ishibashi, general manager at Toyota Motor Asia.

He added, "By supporting creators and bringing different voices together, we hope to inspire new forms of expression and show that when we move together, we can create something greater than any one of us could achieve alone.”

In tandem, Jonathan Tan, account director at VIRTUE Asia said, "By leveraging TikTok and engaging musical creators, 'Move your world beat' is a brand platform built for cultural participation and collaboration that enables Toyota to connect with the region’s large youth population, while giving back to the community in meaningful ways." 

"Instead of speaking at audiences, we’re creating a system where culture is co-created to build a living cultural ecosystem that evolves through shared ownership," he added. 

The music-led initiative follows another regional brand campaign rolled out by Toyota Motor Asia earlier this year, centred on diversification, service excellence, and quality, durability and reliability (QDR).

Developed with The Crisp Group, the campaign sought to reinforce Toyota's focus on trust and long-term reliability as the mobility landscape evolves with new technologies, powertrains and changing consumer expectations. It rolled out across digital, social and premium video platforms in Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia.

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