The world is trying to domesticate us, and our SUVs. While others went smaller, lighter, and more efficient, the Toyota 4Runner kept its body-on-frame construction and capability to handle rougher terrain. 4Runner couldn’t compete with shopping carts made for city moms, so we set our sights on outdoorsmen.

Body-on-frame became the foundation of our off-road movement to protect real SUVs and the outdoor way of life. It’s a powerful truth summed up in 3 simple words: Keep It Wild.

Keep It Wild is a challenge to adventurers and a promise to keep the 4Runner true. It’s a reminder to get out there, before you go soft. It’s our purpose. We venture forth not to conquer, but to be one with nature and protect her. It’s a powerful rally cry that’s guided us at every turn: We’re all born wild. Let’s keep it that way. Keep It Wild.

The “Keep It Wild” Hangout proved, without a doubt, that 4Runner, one of the last body-on-frame SUVs, was built rugged for a reason.

We brought the web to the woods via satellite feed, fiber optics and cutting-edge telemetry that put a live-streaming 4Runner in control of Google+ fans.

For 45 minutes, they grilled Toyota experts with tough questions and extreme off-road requests as they chatted and watched 4Runner tackle a remote, rocky trail, live.

We continued to answer fans and created share-able, custom content that changed opinions beyond the Hangout on social networks, partner sites and off-road forums.

The world’s first off-road Google+ Hangout transformed 4Runner online opinion:

Toyota received 8.7 million unpaid impressions of the live Hangout on Google+ through shares of bloggers, fans, the auto community and Google itself.

The Hangout was embedded on lifestyle sites and blogs like Autoguide, Field & Stream Magazine and the most popular 4Runner forums.

Off-road and 4Runner fans started using #KeepItWild organically in posts and shares.

Social sentiment of 4Runner changed from wary skepticism to positive referral.