• Ad Age, Brand Republic, Tuesday, February 2, 2010 10:41 AM

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.

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.

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