How Toyota found massive reach with Roku's Laguna Beach tie-in

Key Takeaways:

• Toyota partnered with Roku on a multi-format Roku Originals sponsorship of "The Reunion: Laguna Beach" to promote the 2026 RAV4
• Roku ranked #1 out of all publishers for campaign reach, adding 150% incremental reach to the rest of their CTV buy
• 66% of households reached were unreachable through traditional cable and satellite TV

The Toyota RAV4 is among Toyota’s most popular vehicles globally. But even the most dominant auto brand has to deal with rising media fragmentation.

Toyota saw an opportunity to connect with their target audience through a culturally relevant content moment promoting the 2026 RAV4. So they partnered with Roku to activate a multi-format Roku Originals sponsorship of "The Reunion: Laguna Beach,” targeting their core audience of mid-size SUV shoppers.

The challenge: Emotional resonance with a large audience

Knowing their target audience was spread across a growing number of TV providers, Toyota saw an opportunity to complement their broad media strategy with a content-aligned activation, and “The Reunion: Laguna Beach” was the ideal audience and content overlap.

They hoped this sponsorship — centered on talent-driven creative and cultural nostalgia — would showcase the RAV4 to exclusive streaming audiences at scale.

The approach: Native CTV ads and a beloved reality franchise

When it comes to brand interest, ad creative that is native to the content experience often outperforms standard placements. This is especially true when the content in question draws a passionate, built-in fan base. For Toyota, a prime opportunity presented itself in the form of “The Reunion: Laguna Beach,” a 2026 Roku Original that reunited the popular cast of the 2000s reality franchise.

Toyota's Roku Originals sponsorship featured talent-driven creative with Laguna Beach star Stephen Colletti and immersed audiences in RAV4 content throughout their Laguna Beach viewing experience.

Ad types included:

• Custom Marquee Video Ad: Ad creative starring Stephen Colletti and the RAV4 appeared on Roku's home screen, introducing viewers to the Laguna Beach-RAV4 narrative from the moment they powered on.
• Laguna Beach Collection Zone: A dedicated content destination on the home screen let viewers explore the series, while highlighting Toyota.
• Custom Vignette: Brand storytelling content seamlessly combined Toyota's messaging with the show's nostalgic tone.

The strategy paid off. With this highly engaged audience, Toyota scored big lifts in reach and brand interest.

The results: Reach and brand interest

“The Reunion: Laguna Beach” was the top Roku Original title in three years, as measured by new Roku Channel viewer acquisition. In addition, the Laguna Beach Collection Zone drew more than 10 million monthly viewers.

This breakout success translated into a large and engaged audience for Toyota. The automaker’s Roku Originals sponsorship delivered exclusive reach: 89% of Roku campaign viewers were not reached by any other Toyota CTV streaming media during the campaign.

Toyota’s success was especially notable among cord-cutting and hard-to-find households: Two out of three households reached were otherwise unreachable through traditional cable and satellite TV, while 41% were hard to reach on other ad-supported streaming services.¹

The campaign added 150% incremental reach to their entire other CTV buy. Not only did the campaign deliver Incremental Reach, but Roku was also ranked #1 out of all publishers for campaign reach.

Brand interest also spiked: It exceeded the category benchmark of 67%.²

By pairing the hotly anticipated return of Laguna Beach with prominent Roku ad formats and highly devoted viewers, Toyota found audiences on a scale that left generic ad placements in the dust.

 

All too often, brands must choose between ad buys that generate audience scale and ad experiences that spark real emotional connection. Roku helped us achieve both in a single, multi-faceted campaign that reached millions of ‘Laguna Beach’ fans without sacrificing authenticity or emotional resonance.

 

Lorenzo Harris,Manager, Communities Media, Toyota

Explore how a Roku Originals sponsorship can help your brand engage with exclusive streaming audiences that other publishers can't reach.

¹ iSpot Cross-Publisher Reach Analysis, Q2 2026
² Roku internal data, Q2 2026