Toyota reamps up incentives to appease customers
Toyota is to offer big incentives and warranties to lure back disenfranchised customers after its recall crisis.
The company is desperately trying to restore customer confidence after a global recall of over 8 million Toyota-brand vehicles because of acceleration and brake complaints.
In the US, Toyota’ sales fell 19% in January, and has led to Congressional hearings on the recalls. In the UK, Toyota’s Burnaston plant 
in Derbyshire is considering cutting 750 jobs in response to falling demand for cars and orders from UK customers have already fallen 7%, the company says.
Toyota has been using YouTube to deliver a message by Jim Lentz, president of Toyota’s US marketing, to reassure consumers over concerns surrounding the safety of its cars.
The manufacturer says its massive vehicle recall could cost it up to $2bn (£1.25bn) in lost output and sales.
Meanwhile, BMW is changing the focus of its ads to concentrate on the cars being safe for mothers and children. One print ad in the US uses the tagline “Joy is Maternal” instead of the “Joy of Driving”.