Jim Lentz, Toyota Motor Sales USA's president-COO, started off yesterday denying to Matt Lauer on the "Today" show that the company had dragged its feet on recalling cars with possibly
defective accelerator pedals, then he popped up in a video on the automaker's Facebook page talking about what
Brand Republic's headline this morning dubs the company's $7 billion
"
Worldwide Brand Debacle."
"It's a strong, straightforward
offensive with Mr. Lentz striking an apologetic but reassuring tone," Rich Thomaselli write.
On Sunday, a full-page ad featuring a pause button appeared in 20 of the
nation's leading newspapers. It has come under fire in the blogosphere and analysts-ophere for being murky and unfocused. "People are seeing this full-page ad, yes, but they're also
seeing articles before and after that ad where one group is saying it's a mechanical problem, one group says it's electrical, one group blames Toyota, one group blames the supplier," says
Alexander Edwards, president of automotive research firm Strategic Vision.
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Saatchi & Saatchi's Los Angeles office is working with the company on its recall
communications. A spokeswoman for Toyota says the company does not want to comment on its communications or advertising.
Read the whole story at Ad Age, Brand Republic »