Toyota Goes Local, Gets Back to Basics to Market the All-New Tundra

Toyota Tundra - pictured here with Sport Appearance Package

DETROIT - February 1, 2007: Toyota will support the launch of its all-new full-size pickup truck, the Tundra, with a grassroots marketing campaign designed to win over the most loyal vehicle owners in the U.S. To help meet this challenge, Toyota is going local and getting down to basics with a focus on product demonstrations and, in the creative campaign, the "guts" of the product. The multi-media effort consisting of TV, print, out of home, newspaper, radio, interactive, and events is designed to deliver 11 billion impressions, the largest in Toyota's history, for both the general and Hispanic consumer markets. The Tundra campaign officially begins with two new spots in Super Bowl XLI on February 4.

"Our Tundra launch will concentrate on five key categories that interest truck buyers, including hunting and fishing, NASCAR, construction and building, country music, and sports," said Jim Farley, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. marketing group vice president. "While national marketing is important to the launch of the new Tundra, the heart of the marketing plan is the discovery of our product in person at the grassroots level."

Local support will come through significant grassroots efforts by area Toyota dealers in all key categories critical to connecting with Tundra's target buyer. On the regional level Tundra will be featured in TV spots, outdoor ads, local newspapers, sponsorships, and auto shows. On the national level, Tundra will be promoted in prime network and cable TV ads, sports programming, heavy print and interactive media, and 1-to-1 marketing including a large direct marketing campaign.

Toyota will have a presence at hundreds of grassroots events designed to engage consumers and demonstrate the capabilities of the new 2007 Tundra. The programs include BASS tournaments, BASS Pro Shops grand openings and Fall/Spring/Winter events, 84 Lumber grand opening events, Brooks & Dunn concert series, Tractor Supply Co. retail events, Toyota Outdoor Tour (a national consumer engagement tour), Toyota Tundra Prove It! (a national ride & drive program), Field & Stream Heroes of Conservation event and promotions, the Toyota Professional Angler Team competing at PAA BASS events, as well as hundreds of regional dealer supported grassroots events that include fishing, rodeos, chili cook-offs and more.

"The success of the new Tundra will involve more than making a great truck. It will require selling the Toyota brand," said Jim Lentz, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. executive vice president. "We need to reach truck buyers who previously never considered a Toyota product. This will be particularly important in America's heartland and among Latinos, where Toyota has not penetrated the market as strongly as other regions and where trucks are an integral tool in the daily lives of many."

One particular group of truck buyers, dubbed "True Truckers," are the primary target buyer in the Tundra marketing plan. These are the full-size pickup owners who depend on their trucks day in and day out. Although they will account for more than one-fourth of all full-size truck sales, their importance extends far beyond their purchasing power. They are the true opinion leaders among full-size owners and are highly credible because they use, punish, and demand the most out of the pickups they buy.

The launch of the 2007 Tundra marks Toyota's the most extensive effort to date in connecting with Latino consumers and its largest presence ever in high-profile properties across top Hispanic broadcast and cable networks. The campaign target of 650 million impressions among this vital and growing segment more than doubles that of any previous product launch. The centerpiece of the integrated initiative is a national engagement marketing program that features the Tundra at more than 70 Hispanic consumer events in four categories:

The advertising campaign will showcase the new Tundra's styling, size, ruggedness, power, and built-in legendary Toyota brand quality. The campaign platform is "The new Tundra is a full size 1/2 ton with the guts of a 3/4 ton." Individual ads will highlight braking, towing, payload, acceleration and other capabilities. The creative is anchored in moments of truth, those key situations where the truck buyer must be given the solid facts about why they should consider Tundra -- at the job site, in the barrooms, at the Sunday tailgate. "Ultimately our hope is to spark debate among all of our target customers," said Farley.