Public Relations Project

Sources:

Toyota hopes media blitz will reassure customers

http://www.ocala.com/article/20100131/ARTICLES/100139966

Toyota reps offer apology: MICHELINE MAYNARD

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/30/business/30toyota.html

Toyota Announces New Quality Leadership Initiatives, Building on Significant Accomplishments to Date

http://pressroom.toyota.com/pr/tms/toyota/toyota-consumer-safety-advisory-102572.aspx

 

Let’s talk strategy.  Look at the organizations/person’s PR Strategy

q  Describes how, in concept, the above objectives are to be achieved, providing guidelines for the overall program.

Before the recall Toyota’s strategy was to focus on branding and marketing their vehicles in a way to make them into the “automobile empire in the world” based purely on the quality and reliability of their vehicles. The head vehicles were the Camry a big seller for Toyota. Once the recall happened the main objective was to restore and reinsure that Toyota brands were still reliable and of good quality.   

q  What was the public relations strategy for each key public?  Could include key messages/themes to be reiterated throughout the campaign on all materials. 

The public relations strategy for each key public is their loyal customers, buyers (new customers), investors. Once the Camry a popular selling car by Toyota for years was included in the recall list, loyal customers became a top priority besides investors. Mainly because their were entire families who owned Toyotas customers who only had these type of cars and believed them to be of great quality and reliability were suddenly let down by a company they believed in and invested a lot of money into. In the case, of long-time customers, new customers, and investors Toyota released a apology for the massive recall and their slow response to the problem. Even though they received massive backlash, “for failing to show adequate remorse for those who had been killed in accidents involving acceleration problems” (Maynard).

The next step taken by Toyota was to launch a massive media campaign in order to reassure customers and rebuild the brand. Crisis management for the company expressed that the recall is only half the battle that Toyota’s biggest battle would be to regain the public. Toyota has for years placed out a branding method of reliable and good quality vehicles. Crisis management professionals say, “Its message to Toyota owners — delivered in full-page ads Sunday in 20 major newspapers — isn’t as clear and reassuring as it needs to be” (Ocala.com). As a result Toyota released a, “black-and-white ads Sunday characterized the halt in sales and production as a “temporary pause” to put customers “first.” The ads don’t give details on how the pedals will be fixed or when customers can expect a remedy” (0cala.com).

Lastly, Toyota began to offer new quality leadership initiatives and milestones. A program created after a sharp drop in customer concerns about acceleration in their vehicles that was reported to Toyota. A program that includes, “equipping all of its new vehicles with advanced safety features, including Smart Stop Technology and enhanced event data recorders (EDR)” (pressrelease.com). As a result of these initiatives Toyota found that their customers found the remedies to be “both effective and durable”. Proving for Toyota a turn around in their image and how the brand is rebuilding.

 

 

q  Was the strategy flawed?  Rushed?  Incomplete?  Poorly implemented or well-done?

The strategy was not flawed but seemed rushed and incomplete. Toyota did not take action until after reports about accidents which were caused by stuck accelerators came in. Once they did the recall they gave little insight on what exactly was being done. However, as time passed they came into a more complete plan.  Toyota released ads that promoted safe cars and their appreciation for loyal and new customers.