In 2007, Toyota surpassed GM to become the world’s largest automaker (Maynard). As a Japanese company traditionally known for fuel economy, affordability and eco-friendliness, they ushered in a new era of the automobile industry by achieving success in America as an outsider. Amazingly, they report earnings that tower above that of American companies, most notably GM and Ford, while still increasing the number of factories and workers located inside the United States. Clearly, as shown through financial achievement, their construction process and marketing strategy is effective, but their ability to compete with Detroit’s powerful hold on the truck market is a key determinant in any future progress. Their two trucks, the Tundra and Tacoma, are smaller and less powerful then the GM and Ford lines, and consequently do not realize similar profits as their cars. Toyota, appreciating the massive sales generated from the truck industry, fashioned a 100 million dollar marketing campaign intended to attack the American truck market. Based primarily on the Tundra, the campaign first redesigned the truck and proceeded to focus primarily on an extensive line of new television advertisements, as well as “ride-and-drive” events strategically placed across the United States. By manipulating Americans through a variety of marketing strategies, some specifically analyzed by Frank, Toyota is attempting to redistribute the truck market in their favor, furthering both the rise of Toyota and the downward spiral of GM and Ford.
In order to effectively boost truck sales, it was necessary for Toyota to rethink their approach to the construction of their most important truck, the Tundra. The 2006 Tundra came standard with 4.0 liter V-6 capable of 236 Horsepower, 266 foot pounds of torque, and approximately 22 miles per gallon (Motortrend). The 2006 Tundra is proficient in the vast majority of uses the average truck owner would require, has better gas mileage than Ford and GM trucks, and has a competitive price. Regardless of this reality, Toyota continued to lag in sales, and eventually determined that is was necessary to reanalyze their strategy.In order to design an American truck, it was necessary to understand the American buyer. Through various research, Toyota and other automobile companies learned about their buyers and how to most effectively reach them. Firstly, a consumer buying a truck, regardless of occupation, is essentially creating an extension of their personality. In the spirit of American values, this generally means wanting unlimited customization as well as the best of everything, regardless of actual need. Also, many truck buyers consider themselves to be in a “club”, and therefore generally return to the same company when buying a new truck, making it difficult for a new company to enter the market. Lastly, and perhaps most difficult for Toyota to combat, American truck buyers trust American companies and have a general dislike for foreign-made trucks (Donoughe).
This information, as well as specific data on individual truck sales, helped Toyota design the 2007 Tundra. Specifically, the new model came standard with a massive 5.7 liter V-8 engine maxing out at 381 horsepower, 401 foot pounds of torque, and 18 miles per gallon (Motortrend). The brand new 2007 Tundra competed, and in many cases surpassed, similar truck lines of the American companies, but it would be necessary to pair the truck with a marketing campaign capable of breaking down the loyalty and other mental barriers that had previously doomed Toyota trucks. Firstly, Toyota developed their television advertisements. They understood the necessity of informing the public of the legitimate reasons why the Tundra was the best truck as well as connecting to consumers through American ideals in order to develop an emotional tie.
This advertisement demonstrates Toyota’s strategy particularly well by achieving both of the previously stated goals. Although not all truck buyers use trucks in their occupation, Toyota understands that showing the truck in those specific situations is attractive to all potential American consumers. By showing a variety of working Americans pushing their truck to the limit, Toyota is communicating that the Tundra is accepted by all types of working Americans and is a suitable truck to be seen in for the type of consumers who actually do use their truck on a daily basis. These various images of the Tundra being utilized are also appealing to the remainder of the truck community, explicitly anyone who does not use their truck on a regular basis, because it creates the sense of community or a “club”. Although the consumer may work in an office, showing a more rustic lifestyle in the commercial attaches an “American” ideal to the Tundra, and therefore creates a sense of belonging to a pure and natural community based on the roots of the United States. As well as creating these emotional reflexes in the minds of possible consumers, Toyota reinforces the images with facts such as “standard towing capacity of over 10,000 pounds” and that “no other truck in its class has bigger front brake rotors”. This combination reinforces both the legitimacy of the truck as being capable of any task, and also the legitimacy of the truck as socially acceptable in America.
Toyota’s understanding of the American truck consumer led them to set up a two pronged attack: Allow the commercials to spark interest, and set up “Ride-and-Drive” events to give consumers the opportunity to establish a more substantial relationship with the Tundra. Appreciating the loyalty which many truck owners have for their specific truck company, Toyota aimed their efforts at taking the Tundras to the longtime American truck owner in hope of breaking their allegiance. Toyota “Ride-and-Drive” events are placed strategically at specific areas where loyal truck owners are most concentrated. Bringing trucks as well as knowledgeable personnel, Toyota visits Bass Pro Shops, Tractor Supply Company stores, as well as Country concerts (Bunkley). Similar to their commercials, this strategy accomplishes two goals. Toyota gives the consumer a chance to drive the Tundra to test the actual power and ability of the Tundra. More importantly though, Toyota establishes itself at locations that potential consumers consider to have the same ideals as themselves and, therefore, their current truck.By placing the consumer’s current truck and the Tundra on the same plain in terms of social acceptability, more importance is placed on actual performance as well as price; two areas which the Tundra is extremely competitive and arguably the best.
Toyota understood the necessity of creating a truly American truck, but also recognized that in order to become competitive, they must set themselves apart. In order to do so, they utilized a similar technique to that of Pepsi Co. in the 60’s. Frank’s The Conquest of Cool analyzes this marketing campaign of Pepsi Co. aimed at dethroning the massive Coca-Cola monster. The strategies described and analyzed are strangely similar to that of Toyota and is therefore an indispensable source in understanding Toyota’s campaign. In the same way that Pepsi Co. battled the All-American and classic Coca-Cola, Toyota battles the Detroit automakers that have the identical reputation of Coca-Cola. Pepsi Co. “cast itself in ads…as the drink for “those who think young”, who embraced a "modern enthusiasm for…getting more out of life”. (Frank) In this sense, Pepsi Co. focused not necessarily on the youth, but the youthful attitude of nonconformity and rebellion developing in the 60’s. Toyota, in an attempt to grasp the current youthful ideals of living a fanatical and extreme lifestyle, designed several commercials chiefly aimed at fastening these ideals to Toyota itself.
By pairing the intensity evident in popular forms of entertainment, such as ESPN’s X-Games, with the Tundra, Toyota both attached itself to youthful ideals and separated itself from its competition, all while providing a nearly identical product. This type of advertising resulted in Pepsi Co. achieving incredible success not only with the young demographic, but with all of America. The beginning of the Toyota transformation to a more youthful attitude has begun and is evident in their advertising, but it is too soon to identify whether Toyota will receive the same end result as Pepsi Co. or not.
Toyota created a truck that boasted the qualities most valued by American truck consumers, but only through imbuing television advertisements and “Ride-and-Drive” events with specific ideals were they able to successfully sell the Tundra.In the previously thought “conquered” realm of trucks, Toyota used a mixture of old and new tactics in order to increase their portion of the market. In 2007, the first year of the redesigned Tundra and marketing campaign, Toyota sold 205,000 Tundras, roughly 60% more than in 2006 (Tundra Headquarters). This, combined with the fact that all Tundras are now being produced in America by American workers, is evidence of not only Toyota’s commitment to control the truck market, but also the beginning of America’s acceptance of the outsider. Ultimately, the Tundra is a very similar truck in price and performance to several of Ford and GM’s, but until recently they were being held out of the market simply due to mental barriers.Like many things though, creating connections will break down such barriers, and through various marketing strategies and a commitment to becoming as American as possible, Toyota is in the process of potentially changing the automobile industry once again.
Works Cited
Bunkley, Nick. “To Sell Trucks, Toyota Shuns the Subtle.” New York Times 07 FEB 2007
Donoughe, Michael. "Who Buys a Truck?." Motor Trend 15 MAY 2007 22 APR 2008 .
Frank, Thomas. The Conquest of Cool. Chicago: University Of Chicago Press, 1998.
Maynard, Micheline. "Toyota Motor Corporation." New York Times 03 AUG 2007
I thought it was accurate how you described a person's car as an extension of their personality and this is also a point of Frank's that could be addressed. For example, Frank describes the way Pepsi Co. sought to display an image that described their user rather than just the product. This is evident in the video where Toyota comments that they had men that used trucks help to build their trucks; these men are American men who, as you describe are "part of the truck community."
The growth of Toyota through their line of trucks is undoubtedly a huge proponent of their recent success and dominance in the automotive industry. It is no doubt an accomplishment for a foreign automaker to successfully surpass American companies with home field advantage of quintessentially American products, like the pickup truck. The ridiculous obstacle courses that the Tundra completes in Toyota’s advertisement speak to much of what the consumer is looking for in a truck, namely, capabilities. I think you bring up an excellent point by commenting on how cars are extensions of individuals, and in the case for pickups perhaps the individuals want to maximize utility. The ads hit this on the head when they depict customer saying what their truck better be capable of doing, like hauling their things, and going places they want to go. Maybe you can dare to take a step further and discuss Toyota’s emergence in NASCAR with the Camry and Tundra lineup as a means to even further solidify their spot in the American market in something possibly even more American than pickup trucks. Perhaps this association with all American car makers involved in NASCAR, particularly their rivals like Ford and GM, will help establish a level of trustworthiness to the American consumer that only American trucks used to have.
The second commercial you have is right in line with what I think is a trend in advertising. Here, Toyota is appealing to an attitudinally younger segment by bringing in extreme circumstances and experiences. I found Frank equally applicable in my examination of Apple's OS, which is also focused to an extent on the same attitudinally young segment. I think that you hit it on the head when you mentioned that as a "foreign" car company, Toyota had the burden to appeal to American consumers as an American car--just because the truck wasn't made in the US or isn't based out of the US doesn't necessarily mean it is not American truck. Very nice analysis on how Toyota has changed its brand image from second-rate truck to class leader.
Very interesting analysis of the purchasing patterns of truck buyers. Perhaps it is because I don’t trust car companies, but it seems to me that Toyota is just trying to sell their product (which they are, but it is a far more obvious sales job than most of the other brands that have been examined for shopping projects.) I find it interesting that the truck company can be so forthcoming about the fact that they are trying to sell you something, while companies like Sprite, Diet Mountain Dew, Vitamin Water, Nike, etc. have to find roundabout ways of appealing to the consumer without seeming to be trying to appeal to the consumer. Why do you think it is that the people interested in buying trucks are not turned off by the obvious sales tactics of these advertisements?
I find the emphasis on the Tundra needing to be Americanized really interesting, especially how specific it is. Toyota, as far as I know, has been successful in other markets in America with models like the Camry. Yet, for whatever reason, the truck market in this country is unconsciously, or maybe even consciously, dependent on the concept of Americana. You mentioned that “Ride-and-Drive” events took place where customers were known to be loyal. Do you also think/know if Toyota’s promotion of these events varied by region? However, I find it odd that Toyota didn’t completely dismiss their more conventional commercials, which focused on performance rather than lifestyle. What do you think the company would have tried next had the insistence on being American failed?
I think you brought out a good point in these commercials noting how Toyota was forced to go to their market and tailor to the mindset of their customers. It is difficult for a foreign company to develop an “American identity,” but more and more companies seem to be accomplishing this by figuring out American ideals and applying them to their commercials. Toyota Ride and Drive program is also an interesting way of bring the product to the people. Is this success based on the characteristics of a particular consumer, or would it work well across the board?
I found your research on truck buyers to be extremely interesting. I most liked how you compared a consumer buying a truck as creating an extention of their personality. Similarly, the fact that people tend to buy the same type of truck because they feel they are in a "club" tells a great deal about the people that Toyota is trying to reach. You mentioned how Americans are hesitant to buy foreign made cars because they tend to stick to things that are "American," rather than the best working automobile. Do you think that this is an example of the types of labeling and naming that takes in Apex Hides the Hurt? Giving a truck the title of American gives it a type of identity that is often spoken about in Marx's, Capital.
The connections you make to the Pepsi advertising strategies are interesting, though I feel they stretch to encompass the methods utilized by Toyota. Whereas Pepsi was attempting to market, though some consumers will disagree, the exact same product as Coke but relied on different marketing techniques alone for separation, you point out how Toyota has made slight alterations to their product (along with different marketing appeals) to separate themselves from GM and Ford. Nonetheless, I thought your analysis of the “extension of personality” evident in the commercials was spot on.
8 comments:
I thought it was accurate how you described a person's car as an extension of their personality and this is also a point of Frank's that could be addressed. For example, Frank describes the way Pepsi Co. sought to display an image that described their user rather than just the product. This is evident in the video where Toyota comments that they had men that used trucks help to build their trucks; these men are American men who, as you describe are "part of the truck community."
The growth of Toyota through their line of trucks is undoubtedly a huge proponent of their recent success and dominance in the automotive industry. It is no doubt an accomplishment for a foreign automaker to successfully surpass American companies with home field advantage of quintessentially American products, like the pickup truck. The ridiculous obstacle courses that the Tundra completes in Toyota’s advertisement speak to much of what the consumer is looking for in a truck, namely, capabilities. I think you bring up an excellent point by commenting on how cars are extensions of individuals, and in the case for pickups perhaps the individuals want to maximize utility. The ads hit this on the head when they depict customer saying what their truck better be capable of doing, like hauling their things, and going places they want to go. Maybe you can dare to take a step further and discuss Toyota’s emergence in NASCAR with the Camry and Tundra lineup as a means to even further solidify their spot in the American market in something possibly even more American than pickup trucks. Perhaps this association with all American car makers involved in NASCAR, particularly their rivals like Ford and GM, will help establish a level of trustworthiness to the American consumer that only American trucks used to have.
The second commercial you have is right in line with what I think is a trend in advertising. Here, Toyota is appealing to an attitudinally younger segment by bringing in extreme circumstances and experiences. I found Frank equally applicable in my examination of Apple's OS, which is also focused to an extent on the same attitudinally young segment. I think that you hit it on the head when you mentioned that as a "foreign" car company, Toyota had the burden to appeal to American consumers as an American car--just because the truck wasn't made in the US or isn't based out of the US doesn't necessarily mean it is not American truck. Very nice analysis on how Toyota has changed its brand image from second-rate truck to class leader.
Very interesting analysis of the purchasing patterns of truck buyers. Perhaps it is because I don’t trust car companies, but it seems to me that Toyota is just trying to sell their product (which they are, but it is a far more obvious sales job than most of the other brands that have been examined for shopping projects.) I find it interesting that the truck company can be so forthcoming about the fact that they are trying to sell you something, while companies like Sprite, Diet Mountain Dew, Vitamin Water, Nike, etc. have to find roundabout ways of appealing to the consumer without seeming to be trying to appeal to the consumer. Why do you think it is that the people interested in buying trucks are not turned off by the obvious sales tactics of these advertisements?
I find the emphasis on the Tundra needing to be Americanized really interesting, especially how specific it is. Toyota, as far as I know, has been successful in other markets in America with models like the Camry. Yet, for whatever reason, the truck market in this country is unconsciously, or maybe even consciously, dependent on the concept of Americana. You mentioned that “Ride-and-Drive” events took place where customers were known to be loyal. Do you also think/know if Toyota’s promotion of these events varied by region? However, I find it odd that Toyota didn’t completely dismiss their more conventional commercials, which focused on performance rather than lifestyle. What do you think the company would have tried next had the insistence on being American failed?
I think you brought out a good point in these commercials noting how Toyota was forced to go to their market and tailor to the mindset of their customers. It is difficult for a foreign company to develop an “American identity,” but more and more companies seem to be accomplishing this by figuring out American ideals and applying them to their commercials. Toyota Ride and Drive program is also an interesting way of bring the product to the people. Is this success based on the characteristics of a particular consumer, or would it work well across the board?
I found your research on truck buyers to be extremely interesting. I most liked how you compared a consumer buying a truck as creating an extention of their personality. Similarly, the fact that people tend to buy the same type of truck because they feel they are in a "club" tells a great deal about the people that Toyota is trying to reach. You mentioned how Americans are hesitant to buy foreign made cars because they tend to stick to things that are "American," rather than the best working automobile. Do you think that this is an example of the types of labeling and naming that takes in Apex Hides the Hurt? Giving a truck the title of American gives it a type of identity that is often spoken about in Marx's, Capital.
The connections you make to the Pepsi advertising strategies are interesting, though I feel they stretch to encompass the methods utilized by Toyota. Whereas Pepsi was attempting to market, though some consumers will disagree, the exact same product as Coke but relied on different marketing techniques alone for separation, you point out how Toyota has made slight alterations to their product (along with different marketing appeals) to separate themselves from GM and Ford. Nonetheless, I thought your analysis of the “extension of personality” evident in the commercials was spot on.
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