A teenager’s first car, or any big-ticket item really, is often chosen at the discretion of his parents. It appears ludicrous for any big-brand manufacturer to promote its luxurious products through mediums that pertains to primarily a teenage audience; yet, Toyota has done just that, in recently buying coveted advertising space in Teen Vogue magazine. The audience has been responsive, and the story has earned front page on “The New York Times.” The story can be read at the following:
This advertisement is unconventional to begin with. The ads bear the Toyota logo, yet it is not merely promoting Toyota’s “entry-price cars like the Toyota Yaris or the Prius C.” Rather, the ads encourage teenagers to be safe drivers, and appear to be much more of an institutional ad that benefits the entire automobile industry. During a time of economic inactivity, it is surprising that Toyota is not focusing its efforts in further promoting its products in an already saturated market. However, further analysis determines that Toyota’s latest strategic move is not simply for the goodwill of its consumers.
The advertisement strengthens Toyota’s proposition of providing safety in its products, and emphasizes the company’s concern of driver education and safe teen driving. In fact, Toyota has devoted an entire website to safe-teen-driving. In effect, Toyota is establishing a brand image of providing safe, entry-level cars for teenagers that families will remember and consider when making inevitable automobile purchasing decisions for a maturing generation Z. This ad serves as a public relations tool in promoting the Toyota brand and associating it as the solution to a concern that is almost unavoidable in every teenage parent. This strategic move is surely to benefit the company’s brand image now, and in the future.
A Traditional Toyota Mass Media Advertisement:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iymBRSUfz9U