Putting the Spin On: Toyota Crowned Marketer of the Year

That's Toyota in Detroit's rear-view mirror, and it's closing fast with a lineup of vehicle designs, advertising campaigns and promotional strategies that have made it a hit with American consumers as well as Advertising Age's 2006 Marketer of the Year.

2006 sales gains
U.S. motorists -- from tuners to tree-huggers to that vast mainstream in between -- pushed Toyota Motor Sales USA's 2006 sales gains far past the incremental increases of previous years. The Toyota line, its youthful Scion and luxury Lexus have all contributed -- without the level of incentives that have become such an addiction for Toyota's rivals.

As General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co. scrounged for a rebound strategy and Chrysler Group and Nissan North America stumbled, Toyota purred through 2006. The high point may have been July, which marked the first time Toyota Motor Sales USA outsold Ford Motor in the U.S.



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99gs400 - 11/15/2006 11:33:49 AM

+2 Boost

GOD BLESS AMERICA AND TOYOTA/LEXUS !!!!

Homer008 - 11/15/2006 12:02:05 PM

+3 Boost

I second that. Investing a whopping 1 billion dollar truck plant in San Antonio, Texas to offer jobs and 2 more plants are already planned ahead already. One selected in Iowa, I do believe. Where are Germans? Oh yeah, VW got booted out back in 1997. MB's tiny GL are built here .. but who cares about them.

sheepdog

BMW530i - 11/15/2006 12:01:54 PM

-1 Boost

VW ads IMO are more creative. No offense.

markusck - 11/15/2006 1:34:31 PM

0 Boost

Wow, do you guys feel this strongly about any other consumer brand? Thats passion!

I guess Toyota's marketing is working..Good Job

markusck - 11/15/2006 3:52:04 PM

-1 Boost

Keep in mind, marketing is not just commercials...but I find the Lexus commercials a bit too 'glamour', the self parking between pyramids of chapangne glasses, its too expected. I just think they try to hard to look the part. and I know the Christmas ones are coming of the stereotypical family buying a Lexus and having the big bow on it...please.

The one commercial I HATE is the Altima (not toyota i know) of that guy living in his car, whats the damn point? because his DEALER told him to, I just don't get it.

XYZZ - 11/16/2006 5:46:38 AM

+2 Boost

i was about to point too, that marketing is FAR more than mere advertising and promotion.

and core to any highly successful marketing campaign, is HAVING A SUPERIOR PRODUCT to begin with.

hype will only get you so far. skilfull marketing ON TOP OF a great product will keep the order books full and your factories humming.

2JZSoarer - 11/15/2006 11:50:27 PM

+3 Boost

I find it kind of funny how the "Big three" went crying to George Dubya Bush,just because there losing sales to Toyota,and other imports.The "Big Three" are truely pathetic!!!

99gs400 - 11/16/2006 10:44:42 AM

+1 Boost

Geoege Bush = pathetic + big 3 = match make in heaven