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Toyota’s Sterling Reputation Put to the Test
We now get the opportunity to witness another member of the brand and reputation elite—Toyota—respond to a crisis in real time. Early yesterday stories were circulating regarding a recall involving malfunctioning accelerator pedals, a malady not commonly associated with a company like Toyota, which has built its reputation around quality.
All of the major cable news networks—Fox, CNN and MSNBC—devoted a considerable amount of air time to the story yesterday. Fox reporter David Lee Miller was camped in front of a New York City Toyota dealership describing despondent sales people who wouldn’t allow him into the showroom.
Toyota communicators will face a number of challenges in the coming months, but a couple spring to mind immediately, one fairly easy to meet the other a little more difficult.
First, Toyota simply needs to get the facts regarding the recall and how it is responding into the collective hands of the media. The automaker already has done a good job of that. By late Wednesday, stories already were surfacing regarding the specifics of the recall and how Toyota was responding.
How the media treats the story is a much larger challenge for Toyota. When conducting a random sample of the tone of stories on the subject, I noticed headlines ranging from the ultra-simplistic “Toyota Halts Sales” to inflammatory angles such as “Toyota Recall Big Blow to Company” and “Ford Sees More Consumer Interest After Toyota Recall.”
Developing a strategy to curb the inflammatory tone of the media coverage and transition it to one of problem-solving action by Toyota is the long-term communications challenge that Toyota is facing. And, given the company’s sterling reputation that was decades in the making, I have no doubt it is a challenge it will meet.
However, it will be very interesting and educational to watch how they do it. Stay tuned.
One Response to “Toyota’s Sterling Reputation Put to the Test”
Toyota facing these problem because of compilation in market.Toyota is reputed company but they have to shown their best.And it is happens in every kinda market.
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