Toyota aims Corolla at young market

by MATTHEW ARNOLD, Marketing 20-Dec-01, 12:00

Toyota is to raise the stakes in the mid-sized car market with a

£9m campaign to rid its Corolla model of its reliable but dowdy

image and relaunch it as the choice for 30-something consumers.

The car manufacturer is to spend the money over three months on

above-the-line ads. It aims to change Corolla's dull image and attract

consumers in their 30s and 40s.

The campaign supports a complete relaunch of Corolla, which has been

redesigned to bring it in line visually with the rest of Toyota's range.

New features include a CD player and power windows.

The move will pit the Corolla head-to-head with brands such as Ford

Focus, VW Golf and the Peugeot 307, which lead the lucrative mid-sized

market.

"The current perception is that it's a sensible choice, it doesn't break

down, but it's a little bit dull," said Toyota marketing director Paul

Philpott. "That's resulted in the average Corolla buyer being about ten

years older than the norm."

The campaign breaks on January 3 with a series of six TV ads bearing the

strapline, 'The new Corolla. A car to be proud of'. The ads, created by

Saatchi & Saatchi, take a sardonic tone in depicting consumers obsessed

with the rebuilt Corolla. Media is by Zenith Media.

The TV blitz will be supplemented with cinema, print, poster and radio

work. Tactical work will target health clubs, via posters placed in

gyms, and DIY fanatics, by backing the BBC's Good Homes Exhibition.

Corolla is the best-selling car in the world, but the weakest of

Toyota's volume sales models in the UK. Commercial director Mike Moran

hopes to boost sales from 18,000 to 30,000 by next year.

Toyota is the world's third largest car-maker and ranks number 21 in

adspend among UK companies, according to ACNielsen MMS, having spent

upward of £38m on advertising over the past year.

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