The Auto Writer

Mr. Toyoda goes to Washington to testify before a Congressional Committee regarding Toyota acceleration problems.

Who let the dogs out?

I certainly felt dogged on Tuesday as I received four separate messages from Toyota’s media team regarding Jim Lentz’s and Akio Toyoda’s appearances before Congress on Tuesday and Wednesday. Each message was designed to show that Toyota dealers, state governors, and other parties with a vested interest in Toyota weren’t about to sit by idle as the biggest news story of the year unfolded.

At least the news release barrage is a far cry from how Toyota has handled its public relations crisis to date—the automaker may finally have found its marketing legs as the hearings get underway. Me thinks that much damage has already been done and that Team Toyota has their work cut out for them.

Busy with other projects on Tuesday, I missed the Toyota hearings. I did track some of the comments on Twitter and by most accounts Toyota’s defense wasn’t particularly impressive. What did catch my attention was my wife’s reaction to the woman who testified about her runaway Lexus. My wife, who owns a RAV4 and had been a Toyota loyalist for many years, was visibly moved. She also sees her next car being something besides a Toyota.

So what did Team Toyota send to me on Tuesday? Lots of stuff including the following excerpts:

National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) President John Engler said in part:

‘Toyota is an important company that has been creating good manufacturing jobs in the United States for more than 50 years. Across the nation, the company contracts with hundreds of suppliers, employs thousands of workers and contributes significantly to local economies. Thus, we think it is important that not only Congress but also the public give Toyota a fair hearing.”

The Glover Park Group and Toyota’s PR department released a joint statement offering Mr. Toyoda’s position about the company’s woes:

“In the name of the company, its long-standing tradition and pride, we never run away from our problems or pretend we don’t notice them. By making continuous improvements, we aim to continue offering even better products for society. That is the core value we have kept closest to our hearts since the founding days of the company.”

I also was sent a copy of an article that appeared in The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday. That article along with an op-ed piece by Mr. Toyoda has been circulated quite a bit in the past 24 hours.

The American International Auto Dealers Association weighed in, issuing a press release and stressing that more than 200,000 jobs and millions of dollars of funds donated to charity were at stake:

“More than 100 dealers from across the nation united to send the message to Members of Congress that they are committed to serving their customers and supporting the Toyota brand. Joined by team members from each of the ten Toyota plants in the U.S., the dealers will remain in town through Wednesday, February 24, when Toyota chairman and CEO Akio Toyoda testifies before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.”

Personally, I am trying to remain objective as Toyota defends itself, something they have a right to do. Still, Team Toyota’s public relations blunders make for a case study on how NOT to respond to a crisis, something a rash of news releases cannot easily resolve.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia Commons