Just wonderin'...Why no Prius advertisements?

Whiteyprius · 03-05-2008, 09:41 PM

Living close to a metropolitan area, each evening on TV, I may see literally dozens of Toyota ads from several dealers - NEVER mentioning a Prius - though they boast, "6 models which get more than 30 mpg!" My wife said that she'd never heard of a Prius until about a year ago when I started investigating my next auto purchase. What gives?

john1701a · 03-05-2008, 09:48 PM

There's only 150,000 available. Advertising would cause a shortage.

Next year, Panasonic will have greater production capacity. That means more battery-packs for Toyota.

.

kenmce · 03-06-2008, 06:38 PM

It implies that they are already selling them as fast as they can make them. Why spend money to build up demand for cars you don't have?

freke70 · 03-06-2008, 09:13 PM

The Prius and Rav4 are the fastest turning vehicles in Toyota's lineup. I think the average lot time for each one is around 6 days. They don't need to incentivise them or advertise them. Do you remember the last ad you saw for the prius, or rav4?

I don't either.

People are always kinda irritated that Toyota doesn't offer special financing, or rebates on either model when they come in for a test drive.

Grunthos · 03-06-2008, 09:14 PM

I seem to see this one on tv all the time.

You Tube

mikem13 · 03-06-2008, 10:17 PM

Ironically I saw my first one tonight. It was actually pretty funny, but I can't find it online.

The premise was they were going to listen to a "learn swedish" CD until they had to get gas. At that point the kids could listen to their own music. By the time they stopped they were fluent in Swedish.

sparkyAZ · 03-06-2008, 11:59 PM

I saw the same ad as mikem13 and agree it was good. I saw it once about a month ago and have not seen it again. It has the default Toyota family that is in the other ads.

I seems that Toyota doesn't need to advertise the Prius to sell it. I don't even see dealers advertising them in the paper either.

Jimmie84 · 03-07-2008, 12:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by freke70

The Prius and Rav4 are the fastest turning vehicles in Toyota's lineup. I think the average lot time for each one is around 6 days. They don't need to incentivise them or advertise them. Do you remember the last ad you saw for the prius, or rav4?

I don't either.

People are always kinda irritated that Toyota doesn't offer special financing, or rebates on either model when they come in for a test drive.

Yeah, A guy at work wanted to buy a Camry, He asked for incentive information and or rebates and they said NONE. He went down to the Chevy dealer and asked for incentives, rebates, and he drove a new Impala home.

Rockville1 · 03-07-2008, 08:34 AM

The "incentives" and "rebates" on Toyota's are built into the car: outstanding long-term reliability and low cost of ownership.

Won't get that with an Impala (check the April issue of Consumer Reports).

hill · 03-07-2008, 10:30 AM

Toyota seems to take a different business model to the Prius. Build it great, after a ton of R & D then let its satisfied customers sell it. It does seem to sell itself. Makes sense ... that's why you see a ton of Hummer ads, because they can't unload 'em. Toyota has learned, it seems, that if you build a better mousetrap, people will beat a path to your door to get it. 'Other' companies, spend the R & D dollars on ads, then the product just sits on the lot until cobwebs form.

03-05-2008, 09:41 PM	#1
Whiteyprius Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: North Carolina, USA Posts: 140 My Car: 2008 Prius Package: #2 Touring Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Just wonderin'...Why no Prius advertisements? Living close to a metropolitan area, each evening on TV, I may see literally dozens of Toyota ads from several dealers - NEVER mentioning a Prius - though they boast, "6 models which get more than 30 mpg!" My wife said that she'd never heard of a Prius until about a year ago when I started investigating my next auto purchase. What gives?

03-05-2008, 09:48 PM	#2
john1701a Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Minnesota Posts: 2,555 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: Pioneer #3 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 3	Re: Just wonderin'...Why no Prius advertisements? There's only 150,000 available. Advertising would cause a shortage. Next year, Panasonic will have greater production capacity. That means more battery-packs for Toyota. .

03-06-2008, 06:38 PM	#3
kenmce High Voltage Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: terra Posts: 257 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: #8 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Re: Just wonderin'...Why no Prius advertisements? It implies that they are already selling them as fast as they can make them. Why spend money to build up demand for cars you don't have?

03-06-2008, 09:13 PM	#4
freke70 Salesman Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: super secret Posts: 92 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #3 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 1	Re: Just wonderin'...Why no Prius advertisements? The Prius and Rav4 are the fastest turning vehicles in Toyota's lineup. I think the average lot time for each one is around 6 days. They don't need to incentivise them or advertise them. Do you remember the last ad you saw for the prius, or rav4? I don't either. People are always kinda irritated that Toyota doesn't offer special financing, or rebates on either model when they come in for a test drive.

03-06-2008, 10:17 PM	#6
mikem13 Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Tucson Posts: 50 My Car: 2008 Prius Package: #2 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Re: Just wonderin'...Why no Prius advertisements? Ironically I saw my first one tonight. It was actually pretty funny, but I can't find it online. The premise was they were going to listen to a "learn swedish" CD until they had to get gas. At that point the kids could listen to their own music. By the time they stopped they were fluent in Swedish.

03-06-2008, 11:59 PM	#7
sparkyAZ übergeek Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 269 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #6 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 6	Re: Just wonderin'...Why no Prius advertisements? I saw the same ad as mikem13 and agree it was good. I saw it once about a month ago and have not seen it again. It has the default Toyota family that is in the other ads. I seems that Toyota doesn't need to advertise the Prius to sell it. I don't even see dealers advertising them in the paper either.

03-07-2008, 08:34 AM	#9
Rockville1 Silver Pine Mica Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Rockville, MD Posts: 107 My Car: 2008 Prius Package: #6 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Re: Just wonderin'...Why no Prius advertisements? The "incentives" and "rebates" on Toyota's are built into the car: outstanding long-term reliability and low cost of ownership. Won't get that with an Impala (check the April issue of Consumer Reports). Last edited by Rockville1; 03-07-2008 at 08:38 AM.

03-07-2008, 10:30 AM	#10
hill High Fiber Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: South OC So Cal & the Flathead Valley MT Posts: 2,225 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: #9 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 2	Re: Just wonderin'...Why no Prius advertisements? Toyota seems to take a different business model to the Prius. Build it great, after a ton of R & D then let its satisfied customers sell it. It does seem to sell itself. Makes sense ... that's why you see a ton of Hummer ads, because they can't unload 'em. Toyota has learned, it seems, that if you build a better mousetrap, people will beat a path to your door to get it. 'Other' companies, spend the R & D dollars on ads, then the product just sits on the lot until cobwebs form.

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