The Breakdown
Toyota Australia · Hilux “Mud Dance”
Toyota lets its rivals slide (literally)
In Toyota's new Hilux ad, competitors' utes slide backwards down a muddy hill to classical music while the Hilux climbs past. It's comparative advertising with a sense of humour.
The TL;DR (too long; didn't read)
- ‘Mud Dance’ by Saatchi & Saatchi Australia, directed by Nick Kelly (Mumbrella).
- Part of the long-running “Don't Send a Ute to Do a Hilux Job” platform.
- TV, out-of-home, digital and social. No results published yet.
01
Show, don't spec
Most ute ads list torque and towing figures. This one just shows rivals failing at the job, which is funnier, faster and more memorable than a spec sheet.
02
The risk of naming names
Showing identifiable competitors grabs attention, but it can feel mean or be less believable. Humour softens it: the rivals' owners are relaxed about sliding, not humiliated.
03
The platform does the heavy lifting
“Don't Send a Ute to Do a Hilux Job” has run for years. Each new ad reinforces the same idea, so people don't need to be told who it's from.
Read the original reporting
- Toyota sends rival utes sliding in latest Hilux campaign via Saatchi and Saatchi ↗
Mumbrella · 30 Sept 2026
The theory bit
The academic ideas that explain what's going on, with the full reference for your assignments.
Comparative advertising
Ads that compare a brand directly with rivals tend to boost attention and purchase intention, but they can also be seen as less credible, especially for well-known brands.
Here: Direct comparison boosts attention, while the humour helps reduce the credibility risk.
Grewal, D., Kavanoor, S., Fern, E. F., Costley, C. & Barnes, J. (1997). Comparative versus noncomparative advertising: A meta-analysis. Journal of Marketing, 61(4).
Humour in advertising
Humour reliably boosts attention and liking; it works best when it's related to the product rather than a gag bolted on.
Here: The humour is related to the product's benefit (capability in tough conditions), which is when it works best.
Weinberger, M. G. & Gulas, C. S. (1992). The Impact of Humor in Advertising: A Review. Journal of Advertising, 21(4).
Distinctive brand assets
Colours, characters, shapes and sounds that people link to only your brand. They help ads get correctly attributed, so the brand (not the category) gets the credit.
Here: The long-running tagline acts as a distinctive asset that links every ad back to Hilux.
Romaniuk, J. (2018). Building Distinctive Brand Assets. Oxford University Press.
Over to you
No right answers here. These are to get you thinking. Jot your ideas down or chat them through.
- 1
Is it fair to show competitors failing in an ad? Why might brands avoid it?
Need a nudge?
Legal rules, credibility, looking arrogant.
- 2
Why might humour make comparative ads more acceptable?
Need a nudge?
Think about how the rivals' owners are portrayed.
- 3
What makes a campaign line last for years?
Need a nudge?
Simple, flexible, tied to a real benefit.
Optional · about 10 minutes
Your mini task
In 60–120 words: create a funny comparative ad for a brand of your choice. Describe the scene, how rivals are shown without being nasty, and the line that ties it to your brand.