Preview

Toyota Prius Marketing Case Study

Better Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1774 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Toyota Prius Marketing Case Study
Case Study: Toyota Prius
University of Maryland University College
September 30, 2010

Synopsis:
As the United States unite in the global effort to monitor the use and waste of energy, fuel efficient or hybrid cars such as the Toyota Prius has dominated the market over the SUV’s who once adored every American driveway. With much doubt, in 2004, the Prius has become the leading selling vehicle in America. The sleek design has caught the eye and pockets of many Americans who prefer the “gas sipper” over the “gas guzzler.” (Kotler & Armstrong, Principles of Marketing, 2010)

In addition to the declined trips to the gas station, the Prius also offered advance technology such as the implementation of a Smart Key System, DVD navigation, Bluetooth and more. (Wikipedia, 2010) This made it a must buy for the technology savvy community who discovered ways to modify the Prius computer system, making it perform many customized features. Such unconventional features, gained the approval of the underground market so to speak. Not to mention the incentive of driving in the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane even with one occupant. Tax breaks issued by the federal government in addition to free parking were just a few of the perks that came along with owning a hybrid. (Kotler & Armstrong, Principles of Marketing, 2010)

According to Toyotas website, they report a decline in sales July and August in comparison to the same time last year. “Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., today reported July sales of 169.224 units, a decrease of 6.8 percent from the same period last year, on a daily selling rate (DSR) basis.” In August, Toyota sales were at the peak in 2009 when Cash for Clunkers were going on, but last months’ sales declined 31.4 percent on a DSR.
The Toyota Prius has a new competitor on the market, the Honda Civic Hybrid and the Ford Fusion Hybrid. With these new products, and the idea that most automobile companies are progressing towards the hybrid



References: Hal S. Knowles, I. (2008, April 6). Realizing residential building greenhouse gas emissions reductions: The case for a Web-based geospatial building performance and social marketing tool. Retrieved September 30, 2010, from US Environmental Protection Agency: http://www.epa.gov/ttnchie1/conference/ei17/session5/knowles.pdf Kotler, P., & Armstrong, G. (2010). Principles of Marketing. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Toyota. (2010, August 26). Toyota Announces Voluntary Safety Recall on Certain Toyota Corolla and Corolla Matrix Models. Retrieved September 26, 26, from http://pressroom.toyota.com/pr/tms/toyota/toyota-consumer-safety-advisory-102572.aspx?ncid=12067 Toyota. (2010, August 26). Toyota Vehicles: Third Generation Toyota Prius is World 's Best Selling Hybrid. Retrieved September 26, 2010, from http://pressroom.toyota.com/pr/tms/toyota/category-home.aspx?ncid=12067 Wikipedia. (2010, September 30). Toyota Prius: Wikipedia. Retrieved September 26, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Prius -------------------------------------------- [ 1 ]. Toyota Prius - wikipedia

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Toyota is a Japanese brand whose refined, well-designed vehicles have earned it a great deal of popularity. Toyotas also have a superb record for reliability and durability, which are the main factors that influenced my purchase of my 2011 Toyota Camry LE, in spite of their typically high purchase prices. For any automobile buyer like me, who plans on owning their purchase for a long time, the Toyota model is a very compelling choice.…

    • 483 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Originally Toyota targeted younger, technologically savvy, leading-edge buyers (Cannon, et. al. p. 634). They priced the vehicle under twenty thousand to keep it affordable, and though it had a slow start, Prius-Genius was a success. Within a few years the competition for “green” vehicles grew substantially. Toyota began to not only maintain, but to increase their market share by expanding their product offerings to accommodate a more diverse group of car buyers. The Prius got bigger, accommodating families, today offering 4 different Prius product lines, the Prius, the Prius V, the Prius C, and the Prius-Plug-in. Toyota didn’t stop there; they have since expanded their Hybrid technology to include the Camry, Avalon, Highlander, and Rav4. Of the 12 products Toyota offers today, almost half of them have a Hybrid version (5 of 12). Toyota is still using the same marketing tools of advertisements, promotions, and vehicle incentives; it just applies to a much broader target audience.…

    • 447 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Prius Marketing

    • 305 Words
    • 2 Pages

    I believe based on our current economic environment that Toyota Prius is in a seller’s market. I think as people get more involved in helping make the environment a greener place they look for ways to help. One of the ways to help would be by purchasing a vehicle such as the Prius. Toyota launched a third generation Prius with a lot of features that I think consumers will be interested in. I don’t think that Toyota will have a problem at all selling vehicles, in fact may end up having the same problem as the beginning and not be able to produce them fast enough.…

    • 305 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In performance testing the 2016 managed to go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in only 9.8 seconds, which is a slight improvement over last year's model. More importantly and the real reason why most people buy a Prius, is the incredible fuel economy rating. According to the EPA, the 2016 Prius is rated at 58 miles per gallon in the city along with 50 miles per gallon out on the open highway. The Prius is considered to be the most fuel efficient hybrid currently on the market.…

    • 524 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    While it may seem that electric cars are a new fad of the twenty-first century, this is not the case. Electric cars have been around since roughly the 1890s, and in fact they were the dominant motorized vehicle in the market until about 1929 [1, p. 17]. This was due mostly to high gas prices during war and the fact that back then having a range of 18 miles was more than enough to meet the needs of most people. But then as cities grew and gasoline powered cars became cheaper and easier to use, the electric car was slowly phased out, until about the 1990s. Then began the renewed interest in air quality and in the future of the electric car [1, p. 17]. In 1990 the Clean Air Act was passed, and now the gas guzzling and air fouling cars that had become so prominent began to have regulations forced down on them to improve their efficiency and to make them cleaner [2, p. 642]. This Clean Air Act coupled with the Energy Act of 1992 encouraged research into the electric car and reenergized the developments of environmentally friendly cars [1, p.17]. All of that research and dedication finally cumulated in the release of the Toyota Prius on the American market in 2000, and from that moment, it has become a cultural icon, and a topic for hot debate [3]. The main topic of the debate is at the very foundation of the Prius: whether or not the Prius is truly ‘green’.…

    • 3338 Words
    • 14 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Toyota Prius Case Study

    • 916 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The Toyota Prius was in the market introduction stage then it matured into the market growth stage. In the Product life cycle there are four different phases. There is market introduction, market growth, market maturity, and sales decline. The Toyota Prius as explained by the book was a new experimental technology that Toyota wanted to test and introduce to the market to see how it would react. Toyota was at a point in their business where they wanted to innovate something new. Some of the ideas that Toyota was considering prior to the Prius were injection diesel engines, electric motors, hydrogen-powered fuel cells, and solar powered vehicles. This alone allows us to infer that Toyota had no prior market for these types of vehicles. This would automatically eliminate the three latter phases of the product life cycle.…

    • 916 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    People who accepted the early Prius were individualistic, they liked to be perceived as different from the norm. Some of the early adopters, who purchased the vehicle, modified it to make it even more individualized. Prius accepters were also efficient and practical because they purchased a car that is energy efficient. It uses less gasoline than standard vehicles and uses electricity, which is a renewable resource. Finally, Prius owners were free to go where and when they wanted to go, just as other car owners are.…

    • 625 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Comparison and Contrast

    • 943 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Having a reliable source of transportation is convenient when handling everyday errands. Owning a gas operated transportation can benefit a parent, student or business person in prioritizing there lifestyle. However, the economy is on the rise demanding more money in fuel and oil cost. The price of gas could overwhelm any individual in today’s economy. Gas powered cars like Cadillac’s, Lincoln’s, and Buick’s could break your pockets. Fuel efficient vehicles such as the Prius, Honda insight and Chevy volt could benefit your budget as well as providing a safe environment.…

    • 943 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    It is no secret that one of the most popular trends in today's society is "going green" to help the economy, save the world, and so on. It is also no secret that gasoline prices have steadily increased over the years, and four dollars a gallon does not exactly agree with our wallets. In an effort to "go green" and save money on gasoline, hybrid cars have recently become a great option for those interested in getting high gas mileage and saving lots of money… or so they think. Although hybrid cars have high gas mileage and extend the time between visits to the pump, reviewing the raw facts about hybrid cars while asking the question "Do hybrid cars seem like a money-saving solution?" is a wise decision.…

    • 775 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The study found that, even at today's high gas prices, only a handful of hybrid cars make financial sense for a consumer who buys a new car every five years or less and drives an average number of miles per year. Even at Los Angeles-area gas prices, there are only five hybrid cars that would allow consumers to recoup their additional investment before they sold the car, assuming they drive an average of 15,000 miles per year. In order of shortest time to break even, they…

    • 1197 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Lexus Essay

    • 711 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The introduction of new models and the willingness of consumers to make more expensive purchases have begun to satisfy the pent-up-demand of premium vehicles created during the recession.…

    • 711 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Introduced in 1908, the Model T made gasoline-powered cars widely available and affordable. By 1912, the gasoline car cost only $650, while an electric roadster sold for $1,750.” After the first hybrid car was invented, companies started to make their own hybrid electrical cars. But this wasn’t immediate, it took companies about 20 years to start producing public hybrid vehicles. “Fast forward again -- this time to the 1990s. In the 20 years since the long gas lines of the 1970s, interest in electric vehicles had mostly died down (History of the Electric Car 04).” In 1970, hybrid cars interest soared because of the gas prices. But in the 80s, the interest faded again. But when a law called the “Clean Air Act Amendment” was created to try to make the air cleaner, this sparked an interest again in the 90s. “Some car makers replace the conventional Otto cycle gasoline engine with the Atkinson cycle, which burns Fuel much more…

    • 888 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Since the federal governmental showed support of the Toyota Prius Hybrid vehicle , and customers can get addiction tax breaks, it less customers burden, and this is one of points to make them feel like to buy Prius.…

    • 327 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Prius

    • 3431 Words
    • 14 Pages

    References: ■ Scientific American names Toyota Motor Corporation as "Business Leader of the Year" ("Scientific American 50"; December, 2003) for its singular accomplishment in the commercialization of affordable hybrid cars.…

    • 3431 Words
    • 14 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Toyota dealt with their customers by setting up website to educate the customers about the Toyota Prius. They took advantage of Earth Day to send out green seed cards shaped like Toyota’s logo to prospective buyers and they also gave away some green Prius at Earth Day events. However, Toyota did not recognise that consumers normally don’t buy cars for the saving in the long-run so “fuel savings are not going to be the key it convincing people to purchase the Prius” [principles of marketing]. As a result of this Toyota have asked governments to give tax cuts to cars with better fuel consumption.…

    • 1582 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays