I am fascinated by the current Toyota TV campaign which touts their investment in "safety." It features an expensive, well-done TV spot combining nice graphics with various scenes of beautiful vehicles. And in this single :30 spot, "safety" is shown graphically six times and is mentioned in the audio seven times, for a total of 13 references. That's one overt safety reference every 2.3 seconds, on average. It's almost obnoxious.
I've learned that companies can't simply create a strong position by claiming it -- especially if it runs counter to a common perception. And the common perception is that Toyota has many great attributes...safety NOT particularly being one of them. At least not today.
If they were paying me (a lot less than whomever they are paying, by the way), I'd recommend they tout their strengths now and let some time pass before slowly bringing evidence forward about how safe their vehicles are. And it would be through third-party recognition (i.e., Consumer Reports or some other group) and NOT through their own paid advertising.
Toyota marketers are smarter than this...surely.
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I agree with you. Paid media is simply the _wrong_ channel by which to turn that perception. Any paid messages are going to be greeted with a great deal of skepticism. Their credibility, after all, has been severely damaged by their own doing. Who'll believe them? Plus, this is a complex message that unfolded over a long time, through detailed news reports. Trying to counter it with 30-second spots--or at least the kind you mention--is just silly.
ReplyDeleteTheir complete bumbling of the acceleration problem notwithstanding, I'm going to bet there are all kinds of data out there indicating Toyota products are just as safe, if not safer, than most of their competitors.
They need a heavy dose of consistent, de-lawyered, humanized mea culpa, followed by putting people on the street to tell their story. Public relations in the real sense of the word.
Engaging and empowering the fans they have left would probably be a good idea, too.