Forty years ago, around this time- Apollo 13 discovered it had a problem. Maybe you've read about it, lived through it- or have seen the movie Apollo 13 starring Tom Hanks- it's a great movie- I've seen it dozens of times.
I never get tired of seeing what America, albeit in a dramatization, can do in a time of crisis- and who doesn't love a happy ending?
For the last few weeks- I've seen slight changes in Toyota's marketing. They're eating their hat- they're trying "Everyday, Moving Forward" to get past the last few months which have been trying (to say the least) for them- looking past pedals that stick, brakes that don't work, steering systems that don't steer and the latest- SUVs that flip-over.
To say the very least- Toyota has reiterated a similar version of that now famous phrase- "We Have a Problem..." And they do- and they're sorry- believe me they are.
Today- I came across a clip- part of the new Avalon 11 marketing campaign- a hip, Mad Men- like, cool ploy to get you to discover and "Travel Avalon Class"- a 2011 Toyota Avalon that looks nothing more than a re-packaged, slightly revised Avalon you've seen before since 2005.
I see this as just a diversion, really, as the Avalon was never really a big ad campaign car- those in the trade knew it as the poor man's Lexus, the Japanese Buick- a favorite among the Depression and Swing Generations. This is the Toyota my late grandfather would have bought if he were still alive- and not himself a Buick Man to the end.
I also think (don't quote me here) the Avalon is just about the only Toyota today not being recalled or advised against in the media...
(A little-known fact- when the Avalon first premiered about 15 years ago- it was available with a steering-mounted-on the tree- gear selector and six-place, front bench seating- a la Detroit's Golden Era.)
Ironic... Here's that little marketing clip- part of a series Toyota is showing you courtesy of "Traveling Avalon Class..." which tells of Apollo 13:
Go to the Toyota website and visit the Avalon's microsite- there's a Don Draper wannabe introducing the Travel in Avalon Class- snappy new features- which believe me, are minor to say the least- but I thought it ironic- the clip above tells of American heroism with Apollo 13.
So- where am I going with this?
I covered the Toyota mess as it was first unfolding for another website and while I at first I swore I'd never buy a Toyota ever again... (let me re-phrase- I've never owned a Toyota- nor do I ever plan to... they're just not my thing) I can and will continue to recommend them to friends and family.
They're just not my style- but that's not their fault- but I'm a Subaru loyalist- if I drive a Japanese anything- it will be a Subaru now and forever, but thank you.
If they did try to cover-up and delay the recalls- shame on them, sure... That's not cool... But lets not forget success here. And in their defense- the media just may have fed a bit of a Witch Hunt with Toyota...
Let's not forget how invested America is in GM these days...
But with Toyota- you cannot ignore or deny of them of being highly successful. So, they're going through a bit of a rough patch.
It happens.
Which leads me to my advice to you- if you loved Toyotas in the past- if they've been good to you- buy another. Now's a great time.
They have killer incentives like 0% financing to those who qualify.
I've driven nearly every generation of Camry- and never disliked anyone of them.
Sure, you see them everywhere- but believe me- as a real car guy- you cannot deny them of anything.
A million consumers are not wrong- Toyotas are great cars for what they are- and now's a good time to kick them (the tires) a little while they're down.
Don't feed into what others are saying- if you've driven Toyotas, loved Toyotas- stick with them- they're not going out of business...
I keep telling myself- if all this had happened to Subaru or Mercedes-Benz (my personal favorite brands of cars...) would it have erased the past? No.
And to share my most favorite Toyota clip of all:
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