War on Toyota
02-08-10, 05:56 PM
#76
Toyota Dealers Pull Ads
Toyota Dealers Pull ABC TV Ads;
Anger Over Excessive Stories
'Punishment for Reporting' as Southeast Dealers Shift Commercial Money to Non-ABC Stations
By JOSEPH RHEE and MARK SCHONE
Feb. 8, 2010
Toyota dealers in 5 southeast states have pulled their commercials off ABC TV local affiliates, complaining about the coverage of Toyota safety problems by ABC News and its chief investigative correspondent Brian Ross.Anger Over Excessive Stories
'Punishment for Reporting' as Southeast Dealers Shift Commercial Money to Non-ABC Stations
By JOSEPH RHEE and MARK SCHONE
Feb. 8, 2010
The ad agency representing the 173 dealers told ABC affiliates last week that the shift was due to "excessive stories on the Toyota issues." The dealers shifted their commercial time buys to non-ABC stations in the same markets, "as punishment for the reporting," according to an ABC station manager.
ABC News and Ross began reporting on the problem of "runaway Toyotas" last November in a series of stories that preceded the large recalls ordered by the company, and apologies for quality shortcomings as well as misstatements about the extent of the defects. Toyota is now expected to add the 2010 Prius to its list of recalled vehicles.
The shift of commercials away from ABC affiliates was ordered last week, according to Marcia Owens-Reder, senior vice-president at 22Squared, the Atlanta advertising agency that handles the account for the dealers, known as Southeast Toyota.
Reder said she "tried" to talk the dealers out of the move. "We have counseled the client on the pros and cons of this, and ultimately it was their decision to make," read an e-mail sent to the stations from the agency last week.
"Please let me know the earliest that we can get off the air on your station," the message concluded.
Reder referred further question to the president of Southeast Toyota, Ed Sheehy, of Deerfield Beach, Florida. He did not immediately return calls from ABC News.
Southeast Toyota represents dealers in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina and North Carolina. According to its website, Southeast Toyota dealers sell 20 percent of all Toyotas sold in the United States.
The move against ABC affiliates in the Southeast came as Toyota launched a new media campaign aimed to "regain the trust" of its customers after growing questions about the safety and quality of its cars.
A 30 second spot that aired during the Super Bowl on CBS TV, at a reported cost of $3 million, dealt entirely the massive recall of almost 9 million cars because of safety issues surrounding sudden acceleration. A female announcer said, "Your Toyota dealers is focused on the safety of their customers."
The new Toyota spot also aired on the network news talk shows on Sunday morning, including on the ABC News program "This Week."
Toyota rivals Ford and Hyundai also advertised heavily during the Super Bowl. The Hyundai commercials repeatedly cited issues of quality and safety.
02-08-10, 09:46 PM
#80
Guest
Posts: n/a
Toyota will come out better for this. I love my fancy Toyotas and have faith in them.
With this, Toyota will come out with better quality and with their plans for more sports car..well if you thought Toyota was doing things before
I have to say Honda did the right thing not taking advantage in ads as they see the big picture. Those other brands that did, TO COMPLETE HELL WITH THEM. It is sickening for them to offer incentives on Toyota trade ins as if they have NEVER had a recall or two. They are acting like they won't have a recall in the future either.
With this, Toyota will come out with better quality and with their plans for more sports car..well if you thought Toyota was doing things before
I have to say Honda did the right thing not taking advantage in ads as they see the big picture. Those other brands that did, TO COMPLETE HELL WITH THEM. It is sickening for them to offer incentives on Toyota trade ins as if they have NEVER had a recall or two. They are acting like they won't have a recall in the future either.
02-09-10, 12:59 AM
#81
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I don't want to repeat myself here, but this situation will backfire on the media and on the govt.
Karma will also come back to bite the competition taking advantage of this.
Karma will also come back to bite the competition taking advantage of this.
02-09-10, 05:55 AM
#82
same thing will happen to Toyota. Unintended Acceleration is a myth and an excuse for crappy drivers who cant tell the difference b/t the gas pedal and brake pedal. No plaintiff won a lawsuit against Audi, some of them even got fined for filing a frivolous lawsuit.
But in early 1989, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
issued the findings of an exhaustive two-year study of sudden acceleration. It
concluded there was no mechanical problem that directly caused the
acceleration of the Audi 5000 or any other cars (including Mercedes-Benz,
Nissan, and Toyota models) accused by drivers of having minds of their own.
NHTSA investigators determined that most of the accidents must have been the
result of driver error especially a driver mistaking the gas pedal for the
brake. Government safety agencies in Canada and Japan reached similar
conclusions in their own studies.
On March 12, 1989, Bradley presented a short update, reporting on NHTSA's
findings. He said the study "supported the position of Audi and the other
manufacturers," and that investigators "could find no mechanical or electrical
failures which would cause sudden unintended acceleration." While the study
concluded drivers were mistakenly hitting the accelerator, Bradley noted that
it also pointed to possible design problems"the shape, location, and feel of
gas and brake pedals"as a contributing factor.
issued the findings of an exhaustive two-year study of sudden acceleration. It
concluded there was no mechanical problem that directly caused the
acceleration of the Audi 5000 or any other cars (including Mercedes-Benz,
Nissan, and Toyota models) accused by drivers of having minds of their own.
NHTSA investigators determined that most of the accidents must have been the
result of driver error especially a driver mistaking the gas pedal for the
brake. Government safety agencies in Canada and Japan reached similar
conclusions in their own studies.
On March 12, 1989, Bradley presented a short update, reporting on NHTSA's
findings. He said the study "supported the position of Audi and the other
manufacturers," and that investigators "could find no mechanical or electrical
failures which would cause sudden unintended acceleration." While the study
concluded drivers were mistakenly hitting the accelerator, Bradley noted that
it also pointed to possible design problems"the shape, location, and feel of
gas and brake pedals"as a contributing factor.
02-09-10, 06:46 AM
#83
Moderator
Talk about overkill!
You have to be dense if no one can see what the hell is going on here with the media and its out for blood, mob, and beating a dead horse approach to Toyota recall. People have short memories about all of the US made recalls for decades, remember when a Ford product would burn your house down just chilling in the garage?! I did not see and all out media perfect storm over that, this is a kick them while their down and keep your foot on their neck mentality over this recall. I do not excuse TMC for how this was handled but you would think this was the mother of all recalls of all time! This recall/s for TMC are still in the hole when it comes to American recalls and after this I'm confident that they want make an effort to catch up either.
You have to be dense if no one can see what the hell is going on here with the media and its out for blood, mob, and beating a dead horse approach to Toyota recall. People have short memories about all of the US made recalls for decades, remember when a Ford product would burn your house down just chilling in the garage?! I did not see and all out media perfect storm over that, this is a kick them while their down and keep your foot on their neck mentality over this recall. I do not excuse TMC for how this was handled but you would think this was the mother of all recalls of all time! This recall/s for TMC are still in the hole when it comes to American recalls and after this I'm confident that they want make an effort to catch up either.
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