Where is Toyota's Damage Control?

One strategy that is rarely seen just because it’s only during a time when a brand is in crisis is damage control. Toyota is suffering huge losses and could be facing irreparably brand damage that will take years to recover from. Business-wise they are following the Tylenol’s total recall strategy in from 1982 when bottle someone was able to tamper with the bottle and poison seven people in the Chicago area. Tylenol bought back 22 million bottles across the country replacing them with the first tamper proof bottle. The company took a huge hit that year but bounced back quickly and the brand’s reputation became stronger than ever. The recall was handled through press releases and news broadcast which worked well for 1982.

With Tylenol’s tampering scare still in a new tampering rumor emerged in 1983. This time it was Pepsi, and it was a syringe in a bottle of Diet Pepsi. Then claims of crack cocaine and other things were reported. It was all a hoax though. Pepsi now had a huge task of rebuilding their brand image. They used the same media that jumped over reports that were pouring in that they were ready to officially announce “Nothing”. There was nothing wrong in their bottling procedures and their product was 100% safe.

Toyota needs to be making a bigger effort to reassure their company is making everything right. This year is going to be a huge loss for them. In order for them to make a comeback they should be reassuring that their brand is solid and that company’s ethics are in tact today. If there isn’t a commercial, a facebook page, a mobile app, anything that allows the company quick and direct communication with their consumers they are losing an opportunity to maintain their industry status ad the best car running. It takes years to build a brand reputation like Toyota had. Brand reputations can be destroyed in moments though. Like many I’m waiting to see what Toyota does. The more waiting there is the more brand damage will occur.