Toyota's promotion of the Prius car model ties consumers? experiences on their iPhones to a billboard in Times Square and lets people interact with the brand via their handset.

The automaker?s agency is Saatchi & Saatchi LA. The Prius Experience application is at the center of the promotion and is meant to help educate and entertain iPhone users interested in learning more about the EPA-rated 50 MPG 2010 Toyota Prius hybrid.

?Our research showed that mobile programs are appealing to the Prius customer for a couple of reasons,? said Michael K. Nelson, interactive communications manager at Toyota. ?They are seeking tools that help them easily gather information, and they enjoy visually stimulating, interactive content that sparks the imagination. Prius? advanced product features merited an innovative iPhone app experience.

?The Prius Experience iPhone app is really four apps in one ? Tour, Interact, Draw and Play,? he said. ?The iPhone app goal was twofold ? to utilize new technology to deliver information about the Prius (Tour) and to give users a fun way to interact with the brand (Interact, Draw, Play).?

The third-generation Prius launch is intended to mainstream the vehicle, per Toyota.

The fully integrated marketing campaign from Saatchi & Saatchi LA, ?Harmony Between Man, Nature and Machine? includes traditional and nontraditional media.

Toyota customers takes pleasure in leading an eco- and tech-friendly lifestyle and they are receptive to new and innovative media.

The company partnered with Reuters to bring the iPhone application experience to life in an innovative way. It also ties into Toyota?s strategy of connectivity, connecting all aspects of the campaign together.

Using the application, people were able to draw on the Reuters Times Square digital billboard Oct.26-28.

Here is a breakdown of the four modes of the application:

Tour- Rotate the iPhone for a 360-degree interior view of the Prius, then explore the features that make the car unique.

Interact- Use the iPhone camera to interact with the Prius ads in magazines.

Draw- Touch the innovative Multi-Touch user interface to draw directly into the environment of the Prius, then watch it react to shapes and objects.

Play- Think through 10 levels of a force-based game that utilizes the accelerometer.

In addition to print ads, The Prius Experience application is being promoted on the Prius mobile site at m.toyota.com/prius, the Prius Facebook fan site at www.facebook.com/prius and mobile banners.

Prius has had some experience on the mobile space.

With more than 60 percent of Toyota Motor's WAP traffic coming from the iPhone, the automaker decided to take a different approach to mobile with the promotion of the newest Prius car model (see story).

?We chose to develop an iPhone app because of the highly tech savvy Prius customer,? Mr. Nelson said. ?They?re very likely to own an iPhone or iPod touch and download apps.

?As mentioned, they are seeking tools that help them easily gather information, and they enjoy visually stimulating, interactive content that sparks the imagination,? he said. ?The market for apps is most developed on iPhone.?