Toyota Plays the Green Card
After being bashed by the greenies for standing as one with Detroit on an easy-does-it hoik in Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards (while producing fuel-sucking pickup trucks), after taking a beating in the press over quality issues (for not being Rolex reliable), Toyota has decided to launch a PR counter-attack. The Japanese automaker has unveiled a new ad campaign to prove their "social responsibility, environmental commitment and economic impact." Speaking to Advertising Age [sub], Toyota spinmeister Steve Strum says the campaign will use print, online and "poignant" TV ads "to touch U.S. consumers and give them a better sense of the corporation's vision." One ad described by Ad Age shows a group of people in an outdoor setting assembling a vehicle using natural materials. The narrator asks, "Can a car company grow in harmony with the environment? Why not?" Incidentally, Strum says there's no link between the new ad campaign and Toyota's recent bad press. So there's one more thing Toyota has in common with Detroit.
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Toyota have made a few cock ups recently and need to work hard to regain their halo. I've always been sceptical of ad campaigns to repair one's image. I reckon they would have been better off putting that money into reliability and quality and let the customer know the difference. I haven't lost respect for Toyota, but they're going to have to work hard now. They're realising that a certain saying is true: The higher you climb a tree the more your nuts are exposed!
I've seen the saccharine laced Camry add where they are touting it's hybrid technology. I commend the development of hybrid technology. But, Toyota is guilty as charged as far as green washing is concerned.
"poignant" TV ads "to touch U.S. consumers..." ??? I'll have to keep an airsick bag handy. I can only hope people aren't this gullible... but then again they're airing it on network TV. 'Nuf said there.