You’re sipping coffee, scrolling through your feed, and Toyota pops up—not just talking about cars but sustainability, innovation, and even life goals. How does Toyota manage to stay in the conversation? It’s all about their PR and communication game, which is as smooth as their hybrid engines.
Handling Crises: Turning Lemons into Lemonade
Toyota knows that honesty builds trust. Imagine waking up to the news that your car has a safety issue. Panic sets in—until you realize you own a Toyota, and your inbox gets an email from Toyota: “We’ve identified an issue, and we’ve got you covered!” From this message, the company uses an elegant mix of communication, PR, and marketing to address recalls with transparency, efficiency, and care.
Toyota prioritizes honesty and openness during recalls. Take a recent 2023 example: Toyota Canada recalled certain 2023 models of the Toyota Corolla, Corolla Cross, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, and Tacoma—approximately 4,252 vehicles. This recall was done to replace the spiral cable assembly in the steering column to avoid any risk of injury to the driver in the event of a crash.
The communication started with emails and was also shared across Twitter and Facebook, where Toyota engaged directly with customer queries. Communication didn’t end there; thanks to Toyota’s robust dealer network, all these vehicles were checked for the serial number of the spiral cable, and necessary replacements were made at no cost to customers.
Post-recall, Toyota revamps its narrative by highlighting safety advancements and reliability in marketing campaigns. For instance, their “Toyota Safety Sense” commercials emphasize cutting-edge technology ensuring customer security. They subtly say, “We’ve learned, and we’re better now.”
Learning from the Past
Isao Yoshino, who retired after 40 years in leadership roles at Toyota, says, “The only secret to Toyota is its attitude towards learning. We don’t even notice and take it for granted.” According to him, Toyota has a culture of patiently:
“Reflecting, learning, adjusting, and continuing to try until they succeed. They are willing to experiment and embrace failure and bad news as possible sources of learning.”
Marketing Budget: Big and Reliable, Like Their Cars
Toyota invests heavily in marketing to build trust and enhance its image. In North America alone, sales revenues increased by 4,099.1 billion yen, or 29.6%, to 17,943.0 billion yen in FY2024 compared to FY2023. Operating income rose by 581.0 billion yen, primarily due to marketing efforts. Globally, Toyota allocated an additional 2,000.0 billion yen for marketing compared to the previous fiscal year.
Sustainability Goals Reflected in Innovation
Toyota’s commitment to its ‘Environmental Challenge 2050’ is evident in its vehicles. For example, the company achieved a mileage of 4.8 L/100 km combined, as per Natural Resources Canada. Wayne Gerdes, a Prius owner, even set a Guinness World Record for the lowest fuel consumption while driving across the U.S. (West to East Coast). He averaged an astonishing 93.158 mpg, equivalent to 2.52 L/100 km, over a total of 5,167.6 km—a feat that included diverse terrains and weather conditions.
The Takeaway
When you think of Toyota, the first things that come to mind are reliability, safety, and sustainability. These qualities are achieved through Toyota’s seamless integration of PR, marketing, and communication. The company proves that trust lies not just in avoiding problems but in addressing them head-on with excellence. Toyota demonstrates that even the most challenging situations can be navigated with integrity and a customer-centric focus, thanks to clear communication and marketing.
Reference:
1.Toyota is conducting a safety recall involving certain Toyota vehicles (no date) Toyota Media. Available at: https://media.toyota.ca/en/releases/2023/toyota-is-conducting-a-safety-recall-involving-certain-toyota-ve0.html
2.Graban, M. (2023) Embracing failure as a path to success: Lessons from Toyota’s culture of Continuous Learning, LinkedIn. Available at: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/embracing-failure-path-success-lessons-from-toyotas-culture-graban-vltwc.
3. Financial summary FY2024. Available at: https://global.toyota/pages/global_toyota/ir/financial-results/2024_4q_summary_en.pdf.
4. Toyota Prius sets new Guinness World Record for Fuel Economy (no date) The Car Guide. Available at: https://www.guideautoweb.com/en/articles/75702/toyota-prius-sets-new-guinness-world-record-for-fuel-economy/
