Everyone is tuning in to watch the 2016 Rio Olympics, including the team at Toyota and Mills Toyota. Toyota won’t become a global Olympic sponsor until next year, but that hasn’t stopped the manufacturer from incorporating the Summer Games into its advertising.

There are strict trademark restrictions on Olympic phrases and imagery, but Toyota’s latest television spot skirts those regulations for a brilliant advertisement focused on bringing us all together in the spirit of friendly competition.

The advertisement was shown during NBC’s coverage of the opening ceremony, and the commercial opens with what appears to be a medal ceremony. But instead of earning an award in the Olympics, the winners are being recognized for excelling in the “friendship tournament.”

Spectators in the stadium, in the community, and around the world begin to form a chain by holding hands while “Gimme Some Lovin” by the Spencer Davis Group plays in the background. The entire campaign is aptly named “Stand Together” and encourages people across cultures and backgrounds to come together.

Want to be a part of Toyota’s movement? Upload your own video incorporating the principle of community cohesiveness and share it on social media using #LetsJoinHands. For each video uploaded, Toyota will donate $20 (up to $250,000) to United Way. Your video could even be used in future promotional materials.

Learn more about Toyota initiatives around the world and here in our community by calling, contacting, or stopping by to see us at 3700 US Hwy 71 S, Willmar, MN 56201.