H/L Partners With Toyota and Palisades Tahoe for Epic Norcal-Based Campaign “Turn Up”

H/L Partners With Toyota and Palisades Tahoe for Epic Norcal-Based Campaign “Turn Up”

Bay Area-based independent media and ad agency H/L continues their longstanding partnership with Toyota with the launch of “Turn Up,” which made its debut regionally during the Super Bowl on Sunday. Combining three iconic Northern California Brands—Toyota, Palisades Tahoe and Olympic gold medalist skier Jonny Moseley—H/L takes audiences on a memorable, cinematic winter sports adventure.

H/L was recently recognized by Ad Age and Automotive News for its expertise in crafting impactful automotive campaigns, winning a 2024 Global Automotive Marketing Award for Best Sales Event Campaign: Regional/Local for NorCal Toyota’s “Take It On” campaign. Like “Turn Up,” the spot featured Olympic skier Jonny Moseley carving through Palisades Tahoe. Building on that success, “Turn Up” showcases the highly anticipated, fully redesigned 2025 Toyota 4Runner alongside the Tacoma, Tundra and new all-hybrid Land Cruiser. The vehicles transport legendary skiers Jonny Moseley, and Connery Lundin up the mountains to the storied slopes of Palisades Tahoe—celebrating the resort’s 75th anniversary and reinforcing Toyota’s reputation for winter reliability.

“Turn Up” was developed and executed by H/L in collaboration with the agency’s in-house production studio, Wolfhouse. The film opens with a voiceover: “Adventure never starts at full blast.” Jonny Moseley nods, giving the go-ahead, and the symphonic Turn Up unfolds. Shots of ice scraping off windshields set the journey to Palisades Tahoe in motion, brought to life by timed sound effects and an original score. As Toyota trucks power up the mountain and skiers carve down the slopes, the action and soundscape build to a thrilling peak. The action-packed on-location shots captured by the film’s director, Carlo Silvio of Wolfhouse, reflect H/L’s expert ability to direct superstar talent and create original scenes that bring life to legacy brands, especially as they relate to Northern California.

H/L VP and Executive Creative Director, Dallas Baker remarks, “We’re working with not only a world-class destination in Palisades Tahoe, but a world-class journey, in an all-wheel-drive Toyota. So, to fully capture that feeling of excitement people experience each ski season, we crafted an original piece of music as “the soundtrack of the mountain.” We also incorporated the sounds of Toyota vehicles and the landscape to punctuate Jonny Moseley’s and company’s skiing, adding a visceral component to our messaging that skiers and non-skiers alike, across Northern California, will feel.”


CREDITS:

Account Service
Trey Curtola - Chairman
Chris Cronin - Senior Vice President / Managing Director
Max Tenhoff - Account Supervisor
Griffin Knorpp - Account Executive
Jeanne Muller - Integrated Project Manager

Creative
Dallas Baker - VP, Executive Creative Director
James Segura - Group Creative Director 
Leonard Rader  - Associate Creative Director
Daisy Serafini- Art Director
Roselyn Pla - Copywriter

WOLFHOUSE - H/L Internal Production Department
Carlo Silvio - Director/DP
Sophia Pellicoro  - Executive Producer
Sally Zhang - Associate Producer
Inome Callahan - Senior Editor
Grey Rosado - Senior Editor

Color/Telecine - Chris Martin, Mission Film & Design
Audio Record & Mix - Phillip Lantz, M Squared

Composed Music Track - Heavy Duty 
Zach Pollakoff - Executive Producer