Prius Campaign - Early Returns

We have been planning to bring you some interesting information about the early returns on the Prius advertising. Why? Because we thought there was a lot of good debate about whether or not Toyota was on-target with the ads. The ads provoked some key questions:

• Does Toyota really understand its customers?
• Do they know how to make Prius more appealing to the mainstream?
• Don't they know that Prius doesn't need to be labelled as even more "green" than it is?

We feel compelled to argue that the answers to the above is yes, yes, and yes. And we can't stand it when you think we're out of touch.

There's more of this argument to come soon, but this first piece of news popped up today and we thought we'd reopen the discussion. Curious as to what the most-liked ad in the nation was during May? Take a guess.

Most Liked Ads

Doug Coleman
Prius Product Manager
Toyota Motor Sales, USA

I've said before that I like the Prius ads--to me they seem to fit. BUT I never said they were better than any Victoria's Secret ad.

It looks like Toyota knows what it is doing. Congrats.

Cool. Good work.

Tom

Excellent! It's great creative work!

Personally, I feel that the harmony ads are geared more towards the female and tree hugger demographical markets. Just my 2 cents!

The TV commercials that I've seen for the 2010 Prius really stress the "Green Factor". I hate to say it, but the main-stream economy here in the U.S. just is not there yet.

I think Toyota could run another TV Ad campaign and also market the Prius as a comfortable vehicle that could easily transport four people, with up-scale features of "premium" cars AND is very economical in terms of gas efficiency.

The 2010 Prius could easily appeal to more than one market segment.

Keith

I wish I was the Head of the Marketing department because I know I could do ten times better and I'm serious. I make a living as a Motivational speaker and a life coach. These adds say buy a Pruis, put a bumper sticker on that reads, Save the whales and go hug a tree. Give me 15 minutes on the phone and I tell you how to go main Stream with this amazing car.

Actually, what we're trying to say is precisely that. The mainstream audience IS much more receptive to that message now. Many more people are actively shopping for products that are sustainable. Green is NOT a bad word, it just needs to be used in the right context - optimistically, not judgmentally. We think the early data shows the ads have achieved that.

Well, have to agree there!

Doug Coleman
Prius Product Manager
Toyota Motor Sales, USA

Prius Team,

I think the ads are great but with the latest ad for the solar roof, do you think Toyota dropped the ball on this? We're hearing that only 7% of build is for this option.

I put a deposit for a Prius IV with SR at the dealer a month ago and just stopped by today to see when it would be in - I'm # 8 on the wait list but out of 28 Prius that they will be recieving this week only ONE is a Prius IV with SR option. The dealer also confirmed that the demand for this is greater than what was expected.

I would love to receive my Winter Grey with Gray interior before winter. :cheer2:

So do you think Toyota is going to amp up production on this?

Interesting analysis. I do wonder what demographic was polled for these ratings.

The Ads were indeed catchy but I think its still geared for those who would go hybrid anyways and the cartoon nature probably gets families with kids

The billboards around Socal are much more appealing than the TV ads in my opinion because the Vehicle is prominently displayed with a highlight of its advanced feature.

My 2 cents

You must be only collecting your market feedback from within the Republic!

Data never lie, but they are also good at telling you what you want to hear if you're not careful. It'd be interesting to learn more about this particular set. What was the demographic surveyed, for instance.

I personally don't like the commercials. But I want the product to do well, and if the spots are translating into increased interest, brand awareness, and ultimately into purchases, then woo hoo! I am resigned to the fact that the majority of people don't like the same thing I do. Case and point: whenever I find a new frozen dinner I like I buy in bulk because it is sure to quickly be discontinued.

Le sigh,
Jonathan

Congrats on beating out Huggies. LOL

If it works great. I personally would rather be thought of as smart and cool for driving a Prius, rather than green and "extra crunchy". I pointed out in my original critique that a well liked commercial does not necessarily make it successful. The question is whether it makes anyone more likely to buy the car, due to positive brand association and/or the information presented. At the very least, you've done no harm to the existing brand, but I personally would have preferred a greater emphsis on it being a great or cool car in its own right, even without the green credentials. I'd be curious if focus groups of uninformed persons, after viewing these ads, (i) understood it was announcing a new model, (ii) retained and understood any of the other information presented in these ads, and (iii) for those thinking of buying a car in the next 6 months, whether they indicated these ads made them more likely to test drive or buy a Prius.

I must be honest.

If I had not been following the '10 Prius info on line and in car mags since winter, and not joined PChat in April - and simply saw the 3 Prius commercials... I would no doubt not have a 2010 Prius V in my garage right now.

I am not a Green freak (although I do care...), not a hyper miler (although I do enjoy higher mpg), and thought my first leap to a new technology would possibly be plug-in in 10 years.

So, if I woke from a coma a month or so ago and only saw the print ads or commercials, my opinion would have probably been - I'll just hang onto my Lexus RX for a few more years. But the previous info / research coupled with all the wonderful information here led me to believe 'this is not your father's Prius'. It's not. I tell everyone, push the Power button and hang on. This Prius should appeal to the masses in so many ways, but the commercial messages IMO still aim far left. And no doubt would not have enticed me to enter the Toyota showroom. My two cents - and in the end Toyota ended up with much more.

Hey Toyota Team,
Congrats on having a much liked TV ad campaign, now please get an ad going which lands you on the top of this list "NIELSEN IAG TOP 10 MOST-RECALLED NEW ADS". After all isn't that what you are trying to achieve? Brand and product recall.

Seriously guys, great job!

I agree 100%.........

From an emotional basis (and being somewhat bi-polar) this vehicle appeals to my Green side. The other part of me (the cheap SOB part) likes the car because it is somewhat of a premium car that is very economical to operate (the most expensive operational cost is fuel). In these difficult economic times, the Prius is a home run. It just needs to be marketed to a broader audience.

Keith

Doug and Prius Team,

Hope you are still reading. Like the the other poster who is waiting for a specific Prius, I too, want a Prius that seems to be on the "we don't make many of these" list. It appears there are more buyers that Toyota thought for the Prius V with Tech models. So please pass on to the decision makers that many of are waiting for those Prius V Tech versions. In Blizzard Pearl, Please.