Toyota taps Tarsem Singh for an ode to athleticism

Channeling director Tarsem Singh’s signature surrealist style, a swimmer moves through dark water, and finds herself paddling through memories of her adoption and adolescence. 

Featuring Team Toyota athlete, Jessica Long, through her journey through the Russian orphanage system, to her recovery after both her legs had to be amputated, right up to her competitions at the Olympic level, Upstream reveals that there’s more to the story than the struggle. Long swims past her mother on the phone with the orphanage, past memories of herself in locker rooms, ready to swim, past moments of competition on an international stage. The spot shows the strength and persistence of the second most decorated Paralympian in U.S. history. No short feat.  

The piece is strange, but feels natural, as the scenes shift around the constant pace of Long’s strokes. The expert visuals feel like they could be a part of a seamless dream, something much bigger than just Super Bowl ad. Saatchi & Saatchi created the piece in partnership with production company Radical Media and Singh.