The following is a synopsis
of some tactics used by DaimlerChrysler’s competitors.
·
Sept.
1999- Toyota launched three new corporate ads focusing on Toyota’s operations
in CA.,the UK and Argentina. The ads highlight
Toyota’s global operations and the local people and the communities where it
does business, through the passion of the tango or a slightly radical approach
to innovative thinking. “ Our campaign continues to demonstrate strength comes
from more than just quality cars… Toyota’s involvement with local communities
is the basis of our success as an automotive manufacture."
·
Feb.
1999- Toyota launched 1st radio broadcast focusing on individual
experiences with Toyota-i.e. pride in employment with Toyota in North America,
value of team work, the environment and philanthropy. Commercial shows Toyota’s impact on its 25,000 direct employees
in the U.S., as well as Toyota’s involvement in the communities in which it does
business.
·
July
2000- Toyota and MindArrow Systems developed rich media e-mail brochures to
promote two new cars. The interactive
marketing campaign presentations were sent out to consumers who had opted –in
to receiving info. about the new auto’s.
The e-mails features video clips from the TV spots, plus hyperlinks to
the cars web site. The e-mail used
viral marketing techniques, allowing recipients to forward it to others. MindArrow says 46% of those who viewed the
brochure clicked through to the web site, and 36% clicked on a link to request
more information.
·
Toyota
recently adopted a new technique for marketing approval between Toyota’s
executives throughout the world in a quick and concise manner. The process developed by KAZ is called
VALID- Vehicle Advertising Legitimacy Investigation Document system. This program allows the following:
electronically transfer the advertisements between the necessary individuals
and companies, provides deadline management and follow up alerts, provide a
central repository where any party could inquire on the status of the item
being approved and view it at any time.—The staff at Toyota now have a system
where advertisements are entered by their agencies and automatically
transferred around the world to each person or company for approval.
·
Toyota,
in a print ad for the new enviro. friendly car echo- offers a $750 graduate
rebate for recent college, nursing or community college grads within the last 4
years.
·
1997-
Toyota introduced campaign “People Drive Us”-which communicates that people
around the world are the driving force behind everything Toyota does….the
campaign will appear in news weeklies, business publications and general
interest weekly and monthly magazines.
Toyota’s $ involvement in North America is $7.2 billion.
·
Globally
Toyota ranks with Ford, GM and DC.
However Toyota and Honda each only control 10% of U.S market.
·
Toyota
controls 40% of Japanese market, but its executives are worried that share will
slide because younger customers who prefer Honda’s will continue as they aged.
·
Toyota
focuses a lot of attention on champion racecar teams.
·
Toyota
recently has created a 30-person division called Virtual Venture Co. in Tokyo,
which was charged with marketing to youth. This division came out with a funky
small car called Will Vi (looked like a pumpkin).
·
Toyota
and Honda are focusing on electric-gas hybrids—belief that 10% of U.S. market
will buy the hybrids as early as 2005.
·
Toyota
and Microsoft entered an advertising venture to promote the Toyota Tacoma truck
by introducing “Tacoma Adrenaline” racing game-developed by WildTangent. This is an interactive entertainment
experience that showcases Toyota’s product in www. Zone.com.
·
Toyota
is the exclusive sponsor of the new 52 episode weekly signature series,
“Adventure Starts Here” on the National Geographic Channel
·
Toyota
sponsored 11th annual classical concert tour in Asia in Sept.
2000—Toyota has been a sponsor since
1990 and proceeds are donated to local charities.
·
Toyota
donated $1 million to national Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Aug. 2000
·
Toyota
sponsors “Spike Radio”-Internet radio system, NBC Sports Gravity Games all to
reach the next generation of buyers.
·
1998
Genesis youth project formed by Toyota to develop youth oriented sales and
marketing initiatives for the U.S.
·
July
2000- Toyota introduced campaign on new hybrid car which used broadcast,
print,interactive, outdoor and lifestyle marketing synthesized within a
campaign that strives to intrigue the buyer to make intelligent choice.
·
Toyota
keeping in touch with interested consumers is an integral part of launching
campaigns-extensive e-mail effort was launched to provide ongoing dialogue
·
Toyota
car division Prius partnered with American Lung Association in “Big Ride Across
America”
·
1999
GM spent $2.88 billion in advertising-biggest in the U.S.
·
utilizes
a GM card which is a credit card that gives consumers discount points they can
use toward buying a vehicle.
·
GM
has integrated its marketing to buy advertising etc. which saved GM millions of
dollars
·
“GM
expanded that consolidation approach to the company’s entire North American
sales organization in the late 1998, reorganizing the fiefdoms of
Chevrolet,Cadillac and other brands into a more-unified structure, with all
marketing efforts reporting up through Middlebrook (headquarters)
·
TV
and print ad campaign for Infiniti’s G20 sedan “Born in Japan. Educated in
Europe. Sold in the U.S.” Ad ran in newspapers in USA Today, Wall Street and NY
Times-magazine ad’s in car enthusiast publications as well as men’s and women’s
lifestyle books.
·
Tom
Orbe of Infiniti said music has quickly become a very positive signature and
that strategy will continue in its ad’s toward the younger buyer.
·
Ford Motor started a manufacturing revolution with its mass
production assembly lines in the early 1900s. Now Ford is firmly entrenched in
the status quo as the world's largest truck maker and the #2 maker of cars and
trucks, behind General Motors. It makes vehicles under the Aston Martin, Ford,
Jaguar, Lincoln, Mercury, and Volvo brands. Two of its biggest successes are
the Ford Taurus and the F-Series pickup. Ford also owns a controlling (33%)
stake in Mazda and has purchased BMW's Land Rover SUV operations. Ford's
finance subsidiary, Ford Motor Credit, is the US's #1 auto finance company.
Ford also owns 81% of Hertz, the #1 car rental firm in the world. The Ford
family owns about 40% of the firm's voting stock.
·
Ford
Division has redesigned its web site for Ford Division cars and trucks,
www.Fordvehicles.com , bringing consumers the total brand experience with a new
and exciting approach. The new web site offers easier access to in-depth
vehicle information to help shoppers conduct research before purchasing a
vehicle.
·
An
exciting new feature, the comparison module, created by Autoweb.com Inc., the
leading consumer automotive Internet
service, allows consumers to accurately compare Ford vehicles to vehicles from
other manufacturers. Ford is the first
major automotive manufacturer to offer this feature.
"After extensive research, Ford found that consumers wanted more
comparison tools while shopping
online," said Trisha Habucke, Ford Division Internet coordinator.
"We find the comparison module to be an excellent mechanism to display our
vehicles and their advantages in an unbiased way."
In the comparison feature, web site visitors can
select a Ford vehicle and the site will automatically list its competition. Once
the competition is selected, shoppers are given detailed text descriptions and
photos of both vehicles, listed side by side. The site lists standard features,
safety information, options and specifications on both vehicles. Competitive
pricing, financing and warranty information are listed as well.
With each vehicle, shoppers can view its interior
and exterior features and chose the paint with a color selector. Vehicles can
be viewed in 360- degree pictures and a photo gallery is available for
additional images. "With our new design we incorporated new technologies
that deliver more visually exciting content," said Habucke.
Online shoppers want web sites that are easier to
use. At Ford's new site, shoppers can get to any vehicle page from any page
within the site. For example, a visitor can jump to Taurus' specifications from
Focus' specifications. Delivery of the site is faster and the site features a
new cutting-edge design with reorganized content. Navigation is more consistent
with clear labels, legible type, directions for hidden functions and short
download time.
Ford recognizes that the vehicles people drive are a
reflection of their lifestyles. An example of a vehicle/lifestyle connection is
"No Boundaries - Ford Outfitters" which appeals to the adventurous
lifestyles of SUV buyers. When visiting a lifestyle page like
"Outfitters," shoppers find a list of exciting destinations with
outdoor activities that fit their lifestyles. The lifestyle page is another way
that Ford is committed to bringing the total brand experience to consumers.
More new site features include "Watch the
Show" (brand movies with brand and feature explanations of individual
vehicles), Ask Jeeves, a site-wide search function, Ford special vehicle team
and concept vehicle team information and future Ford-sponsored events.
After the most extensive consumer research for
redesign ever commissioned by a major automotive manufacturer to evaluate a web
site, Ford Motor Company and its advertising agency, J. Walter Thompson Inc.,
found that the site tested strongly. Research was conducted in the spring of
2000, and 210 test participants gave the new Ford site extremely high ratings
for complete content.
JWT has created award-winning web sites for Ford
Division for five years. Contributing companies for Ford's new web site also
include CoolFire Interactive (providing the vehicle incentives database),
MotorCity Digital (providing the web site's flash technology), and Trilogy
(configuring the buyer connection with the vehicle).
·
Ford
Motor Company (NYSE: F) is donating $5 million to Earthwatch Institute to
promote further research into the conservation of natural resources. This
alliance accelerates the conservation process in some of the world's most
threatened and valuable habitats.
·
October
20, 1999 - Ford Motor Company is showcasing a wealth of technology and
environmental initiatives for the future of motoring and six of its automotive
brands at the 33rd Tokyo Motor Show.
United under the Ford Motor Company umbrella for the
first time in Asia, Volvo, Ford, Aston Martin, Lincoln, Mazda and Jaguar are
featuring innovative new technology aimed at bringing solutions for better
motoring. Highlighting its role of bringing advanced future technology to each
of its brands, Ford Motor Company uses a special technology exhibit as its
Tokyo centerpiece.
"Ford Motor Company is committed to providing
sustainable personal mobility into the 21st century," said Richard
Parry-Jones, Ford Motor Company's group vice president for product development
and quality. "At the heart of that commitment is Ford Motor Company's
extensive investment in new technologies that will benefit all of our
automotive marques. Here we provide a realistic glimpse into the future that
these technologies will provide."
According to Parry-Jones,
minimizing the automobile's impact on the environment is a major focus of
Ford's technological initiatives. Ford Motor Company's wide-ranging work in
this area is clearly evident.