Toyota Commercial

http://www.youtube.com/user/ToyotaUSA?srchid=K610_p280322058#p/c/9FC450C0F2BFE90B

Toyota has released a commerical to reassure their customers that the company and the employees are on top fixing the faulty gas pedal issue. Do you think it's effective? I have read the comments posted on Youtube and the feedback is mixed with both skepticism and applauses. Long term customers who have owned Toyotas believe the company still know their trade. New customers who have had bad experiences with recent models vow not to purchase from Toyota again.

This recall demonstrates one thing. If customers have bad experiences with products, you will lose the customers forever. It doesn't matter that you have done well before. The past success does not guarantee the future. The bad experiences establish unfavorable salient brand associations on the mental map. Customers will recall unfavorable affects when they see the Toyota brand.

I think what Toyota needs to do is to have the long term customers be the support group and talk to the new customers with bad experiences. The company can make another commercial with testimonials from long term Toyota owners. They can talk about their fond memories with their Toyotas. That'd be more effective. Hopefully, that should convince the skeptics.