Toyota Motor Corporation. is soliciting written and video testimonials from 10,000 hybrid owners. Although hybrid owners only make up less than 2 percent of the overall car sales market, Toyota is passionate about them. The automaker believes that customer testimonials can attract more customers.
One customer who has given his Toyota hybrid testimonial is Craig, a Los Angeles-based Prius owner. Along with other hybrid owners who have testimonials for him, Craig is now at toyota.com/hybrids. Other customer testimonials will make it to streaming ads.
Peter Kang, creative director of emerging technology at Saatchi & Saatchi, Los Angeles, Toyota’s lead agency, said he is now editing that material for future ad campaigns. “These ads will literally have the same content as on the site, just in a different format. It’s easy to find people who are passionate about their hybrids, and these people will list their reasons for owning or being interested in hybrid technology. These people will be a part of 15-second ads and they will give very honest answers about what life is about and how this car is important to them,” Kang said.
Auto analysts warn the automaker about the consequences of the move. Unfortunately, Chevrolet had ventured into a similar endeavor with its Tahoe; stumbled along the way. “People are nervous about letting the consumer in on this, but we do monitor and filter blogs,” said Gregg Benkendorfer, Toyota’s national manager of interactive marketing. “We don’t edit, but we do filter, the last thing we need is a video of some guy with his girlfriend dumped in a Prius.”
Toyota is the best when it comes to manufacturing hybrid cars. To maintain this position, the automaker intends to introduce an all-hybrid model in 2009. Asahi Shumbun, a Japanese newspaper, previously reported that the model will be a midsize sedan with a larger 2.5 to 3-liter engine. than that of the 1.5-liter Prius hatchback. The latter is Toyota’s first hybrid car. It is known for its state-of-the-art Toyota parts for Prius. The model will be offered to the US hybrid market that prefers larger car engines.
Asahi Shumbun also reported that Toyota will also consider other hybrid models such as the minivan and pickup truck. In this regard, the automaker is developing a new hybrid system that is more affordable. It will be installed in Prius and other hybrid sedans.