Whose Toyota Marketing Too??? No T.V. Commercials (1 Viewer)

[madams557]

From Insideline.com:

ATLANTA — Toyota kicked off its marketing campaign for the 2007 FJ Cruiser in the Mojave Desert following the SEMA show last week. It was the first of a series of events aimed at influential off-roaders, Inside Line has learned.

"We will do no TV advertising," said James Farley, Toyota Division vice president of marketing. "We will only focus on the enthusiast."

Farley said the company has hired "close to 50 off-road instructors" who will conduct a series of events throughout the country in the coming months as Toyota introduces the latest iteration of the roughneck FJ40 to a group of new consumers. The company is turning to over 30 Land Cruiser clubs in the U.S. to come up with participants for its FJ Cruiser off-road programs.

"Many people don't know what the FJ40 is," Farley said. "We'll spend all of our money establishing the FJ Cruiser's credibility as an off-road machine. We won't race [it] before we do rock crawling [and] mud and trail activities."

The 2007 FJ Cruiser goes on sale in February.

What this means to you: Toyota shows it understands the rule of the off-road: If you don't have authenticity, you don't have anything when it comes to vehicles like the FJ Cruiser.

 

[Arleaux]

Seems like a good idea to me, it will be interesting to see how this works out for them.

 

[madams557]

I find it interesting because we've been voicing our opinions on this board that Toyota needs to listen to us for a viable off-road product; bring this, do that, make this available, J**P is doing this, J**p is doing that, yada yada yada...

Kudos to Toyota

 

[shocker]

Viral Marketing.

 

[jjbodean1970]

you ever see the Prius advertised? nope. the core market knows about these products and buy them up. lots of Toyota products are "advertised" in this matter. people read jd power, consumer reports, etc. best advertising Toyota needs.

 

[TLCA_Paul]

TLCA has been contacted about different events that the FJ may be comming to. They even plan to bring it to some club events. When it hit the test media run on the Rubicon trail. TLCA President was there.

[shameless plug] join now to not miss the article in Toyota Trails, and come to an event.[/shameless plug]

So yea they are planing to use this rig. Hopefully this ill only make t better for new odels to come

 

[mk2tmr2]

If you haven't already - sign up for more info on the FJC at toyota's website. Toyota will be marketing to people who show interest in the FJC because Toyota understands 2 important things:

1) This is an enthusiast vehicle and 2) if it delivers on the enthusiasts' expectations they will become advocates of the FJC. The word of mouth marketing that enthusiastic advocates will do is far more valuable to Toyota than mass TV or magazine ads for this type of vehicle.

http://www.toyota.com/toyota/vehicles/future/fj_cruiser/handraiser/handraiser.jsp

I'm sure most of us on forums like this have already raised our hands to receive more info...but in case you haven't you should do so.

FWIW - Toyota hasn't advertised the Prius directly. However, it has been featured in their mass awareness campaign on Hybrid Synergy Drive which includes TV spots.

 

[therealdeal]

I'm their man if they want to advertise to outdoor professionals in addition to recreational off-roaders. Hear me, Toyota? Has my comp demo model shipped yet?

 

[mabrodis]

Very cool...so it's actually going onsale in Feb...wow that's a bit early for a '07 model it would seem, but I'm not complaining.

I wonder if Toyota's advertising to offroad groups is to get a badge of "Trail Rated", but a real one, so people actually believe it is "Trail Rated" so Toyota doesn't even have to stoop to such lame slogans like jxxp.

I do think with the FJ Cruiser the sales numbers of the Tacoma will probably dip some. I don't think the FJ Cruiser will pull buyers from a 4Runner, or Cruiser, or even the GX470, but I can see how people would shift from the Tacoma to the FJ Cruiser...but the combined numbers will I'm sure be very good, and in 6 months everyone will be praising Toyota for the FJ Cruiser...I would bet money it'll win the Motor Trend Truck of the Year, and a host of other cheesy awards...Toyota probably knows this, which is why they want to get real info out, have 4x4 groups actually wheel it, play with it, etc...before it gets all these meaningless awards...

Just my $0.00 worth...

 

[Benson]

I think it's a great idea to host events where people can drive the FJC offroad, or at least in non-mall territory. Doing this in conjunction with established TLC clubs is an added bonus as it will provide exposure to the clubs and give the true enthusiasts a first crack at seeing the FJC in action.

Any word on the schedule of events, where or when?

 

[aamiggia]

Toyota really seems to know their marketing stuff. The core group of buyers will not be the offroaders. They will be the same folks that feel into the media trap for the X-Terra and the ones that want to be preceived as free sprited Jxxp drivers.

Instead of following the cheasy path set by Jxxp and their Mall Rated stickers. Toyota is actually going to get the word out and create the off-road image with the right people. This will quickly be eaten up by the 99.9% of the buyers just want the image and will get one in the first year.

 

[hatfieldcb]

They've been targeting TLCA, for one:

Recently, TLCA President Alan (Chef) Loshbaugh went along with the team from Toyota to test the new FJ Cruiser on the Rubicon trail.

See a preview of the exclusive story that will appear in the January/February 2006 issue of Toyota Trails magazine here:

FJ Cruiser on the Rubicon Trail!

Get the full story ONLY in Toyota Trails magazine. The membership magazine of the Toyota Land Cruiser Association.

 

[Mace]

I talked to the Marketing woman for a while at the FJ cruiser after party. She was convinced that the truck will sell to the outdoorsy types (read subaru outback) after they see it around. they truly do want to work with the enthuasists..

Kinda refreshing actually.

 

[Gumby]

I bet one will show up on Xtreme4x4 like the Xb showed up on Pimp My Junk.

I'll be very happy to sign up to thrash a FJC. That wasy when I buy one of my own I won't have to until it's paid for.