Toyota Financial Services Asks Recent College Grads and Those Soon to Graduate, "How would you spread the word about our $1,000 College Grad Rebate to your peers?"

TORRANCE, Calif., April 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Who better to generate ideas on marketing to recent college graduates (and those about to graduate) than recent college grads themselves?  Toyota Financial Services (TFS) has launched its second annual "College Rebate Contest" and this year, the grand prize is big – a new 2012 Toyota Corolla big!

From April 3, 2012 through May 8, 2012, eligible participants are invited to submit videos (60 seconds or less) featuring their best idea to www.toyotagradcontest.com.  The public is invited to vote daily on their favorite videos from April 3, 2012 to May 8, 2012, after which, videos will be evaluated by an independent panel of Judges.  Judges will weigh each entry according to the following criteria: (1) Creativity – 34%, (2) Originality – 33%, and (3) Appropriateness to Theme – 33%. Using these criteria, the Judges will select the top ten (10) Entries as "Finalists."

The grand prize winner will receive a new 2012 Toyota Corolla.  One Second Place winner will receive $2,500 and one Third Place winner will receive $500.

To encourage public voting, registered voters will be eligible to win one of 200 "Instant Win" $20 gift cards redeemable at Amazon.com.  After the final voting has ended, all registered voters will be put into a random sweepstakes drawing for one prize of $1,000.

"We recognize in today's social culture people often prefer to hear about offers and specials through their friends and peers," said Kerry Rivera, Marketing & Advertising Manager at TFS. "We thought this contest would be a fun way for these recent grads to get creative and show us or tell us how they would spread the word about our $1,000 rebate – an offer many could benefit from as they are just breaking into the workforce."

The College Grad Video Contest follows the recent announcement that TFS is extending its College Grad Rebate program through January, 2, 2013 which offers recent college grads (and those about to graduate) $1,000 off the purchase or lease of select new Toyota vehicles including the Corolla, Matrix, RAV4, Camry (excludes Camry hybrid), Tacoma and Yaris, plus all new Scion models, when financed or leased through a participating Toyota dealer and TFS.

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND NECESSARY; A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING.  Toyota's College Grad Video Contest: Contest Video Submissions and Phase I Public Voting, during which Contestants may enter a Video and during which the first round of public voting will occur, starts on 4/3/12 at 12:00 P.M. ET and ends on 5/8/12 at 11:59:59 A.M. ET.  Phase II is the first round of judging starting 5/8/12 at 12:00 P.M. ET and ends 5/16/12 at 11:59:59 A.M. ET.  Phase III – Final Voting Phase, during which the final public voting will take place, starts on 5/16/12 at 12:00 P.M. ET and ends at 6/4/12 at 11:59:59 P.M. ET.

The Instant Win Game and Sweepstakes will be available to play and enter during Phase I (4/3/12 at 12:00 P.M. ET - 5/8/12 at 11:59:59 A.M. ET) and Phase III (5/16/12 at 12:00 P.M. ET - 6/4/12 at 11:59:59 P.M. ET).  Phase IV is the final round of judging.  Please visit www.toyotagradcontest.com for details on entry instructions, prize details, deadlines, restrictions, etc. Contest, Sweepstakes and Instant Win Game subject to complete Official Rules.

Contest is open only to voters and participants who are legal residents of the 48 contiguous United States and the District of Columbia and 18 years (for all states except 19 in AL and NE and 21 in MS) or older as of time of entry who meet the "college grad" criteria set forth in the Official Rules. Sweepstakes and Instant Win Game is open only to legal residents of the 48 contiguous United States and the District of Columbia and 18 years (for all states except 19 in AL and NE and 21 in MS) or older as of time of entry.  Void in Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the United States Territories and Possessions, and where restricted or prohibited.  Sponsor: Toyota Financial Services, 19001 South Western Ave., Torrance, CA 90501.

Toyota Financial Services is a service mark of Toyota Motor Credit Corporation.

About Toyota Financial Services

TFS is the finance and insurance brand for Toyota in the United States, offering retail auto financing and leasing through Toyota Motor Credit Corporation (TMCC) and Toyota Lease Trust and extended service contracts through Toyota Motor Insurance Services (TMIS).  Lexus Financial Services is the brand for financial products for Lexus dealers and customers.  TFS currently employs over 3,300 associates nationwide, and has managed assets totaling $91.7 billion.  It is part of a worldwide network of comprehensive financial services offered by Toyota Financial Services Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation.  For more information, please visit www.toyotafinancial.com.

For more information about the College Graduate Rebate Program, visit www.toyotafinancial.com/collegerebate and www.scion.com/college.

SOURCE Toyota Financial Services