Consumer Psychology: Brand Audit for Toyota Corolla

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2004MKT Consumer Psychology
Brand Audit - Assessment 1
Brand: TOYOTA COROLLA
Student 1: kikoo, s1234567
Student 2: kikoo, s123456

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1.0 Brand Overview
Toyota Australia is the leading automotive company in Australia, cars such as corolla hereinafter
is the best selling cars in the Austrian market. (Toyota, n.d.-a) Attitude concept, beliefs and
reference group influence supported by the Abraham Maslow theory, Freud and psychogenic
needs theory have been used to explain the consumer buying behavior.
2.0 Problem recognition decision-making analysis
Problem recognition is the most crucial step for initiating the consumer buying decision by
identifying the need to move forward with considering a purchase. The need is triggered when
the consumer identifies a discrepancy between the available desired alternatives and the actual
current state, (Jisana, 2014). The need to own a car may be classified as either a functional need
or a social need and may also fall under the need to change depending on the consumer’s
characteristics. This is in reference to the Abraham Maslow‘s motivation theory which is applied
by marketers to create artificial need in consumers and also establishing its hierarchy of need to
consumers by emphasizing to what will make them happy and satisfied (Durmaz,2014). The
theory explains how the consumer classifies types of needs and the ones to satisfy first. The need
to purchase a car according to the theory arises from the desire of an individual to be recognized
by his/her peers to have complied with the social standards thus influencing the type of car to
purchase. The need to own a car may fall under the self-esteem hierarchy of needs which reflects
the achievement of the consumer (Kumar, 2017).
For Toyota brand to be reputable and recognizable in terms of providing a sense of self-esteem
should focus on ensuring that their cars have funky designs, sharp tech, sleek, agile look and
safety measures. As further explained by psychoanalytic theory, consumers value symbolic
consumption thus they will want to own cars that will uphold their own self-image and the way
they want to be perceived by others. (Parson at el., 2017). Toyota corolla advertisements should
be designed to intrigue customers by majorly focusing on the car features that will satisfy
consumer’s needs. Thus marketing segmentation should be adopted to structuring advertisements
and type of cars to be produced to cater for all different consumer needs.

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Most of the Austrian families have a positive perception and attitude towards the Toyota corolla
in regard to upholding of their self-esteem. Toyota corolla car owners provide good remarks
about the brand to friends or other family members about their personal experience with owning
the car. Consumers are therefore influenced to recognize that they need to own an effective car
such a Toyota corolla. The Australian motor culture is attributed with love for vehicle
performance and excellent fuel consumption. Toyota corolla brand should major on increasing
the horse power and the engine that would ensure that the car is comfortable with high speed.
Through market awareness would influence consumers to recognize that they need to own a high
performance vehicles that would not fail in terms of high speed and power.
Most of car consumers are preferring to own eco-friendly car with less emissions to the
environment. The campaign for green environment has motivated consumer to recognize that
they need to save the environment by driving greener cars, (Tarigan 2019). With the innovation
of the Toyota corolla hybrid which is eco-friendly to the environment as become popular and
favored in the Australian population. Toyota positioning strategy has acted as the external stimuli
as the same time culture and social factors influence the choice of the brand of the car. Internal
stimuli such as psychological factors for example self-esteem, self-concept, attitude and
education level influences need recognition for either to own the car or not and what type of car
to own.
3.0 Information search/evaluation of alternatives decision-making analysis
After need recognition the consumer searches for information on how to satisfy the need, search
of information can be either internally or externally. Consumers search for information aim at
finding value in the prospective product and during this stage, the consumer identifies other
available options to satisfy their need, (Jain, 2019). The internal search of information relies on
the consumer’s memory gained through personal experience. The consumer’s attitude towards
the product will influence their search for more information about the brand. A positive attitude
towards the brand will encourage more information search and a negative attitude towards the
brand will influence the consumer to avoid the brand thus limiting the information search (Rani,
2014).

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During the search of information, the consumer may associate the Toyota corolla with another
Toyota brand whose attitude has been previously formed from owning a car from the Toyota
brand. The consumer may also gain information by learning from others who own the same
model car and evaluate how effective it works for them. For example, a family member owning a
Toyota corolla and is having a good experience with driving the car will provide influential
information to the consumer to make a purchase decision (Ramya et al 2016).Toyota should keep
using marketing strategies such as the use of the phrase “still feeling” to explain how it keeps
on giving and providing value for money to it consumer. This creates a positive attitude towards
the brand among the Austrian consumers because of its utility and reliability. The friends and
colleagues provide a strong influence on the formation of attitudes towards the brand due to the
pressure to conform to their standards so as to fit in or to be reassured the chosen car reflect their
status. Some consumers may rely on the affective component which solely attributed with
emotions and personal feelings to make a purchase thus will have limited information search.
Most of car owners use cognitive component to critically think, evaluate, compare by rationally
using logic issues with respect to targeted brands thus entailing extensive information search.
After collecting the information, the consumer evaluates the available alternatives which may
vary depending on the consumer’s personality, income level knowledge level, gender or culture.
The female who may have limited knowledge about cars may make a buying decision based after
evaluating few alternatives. Consumers with extensive knowledge about cars usually men who
want to get value of money in their purchases will be engaged in extended problem solving
process entailing prudent evaluation of other car brands (Rezvani et al, 2015). The consumers’
evoked set which is already in the consumer memory influence the consumer decision.
Consumers evaluate the features of the Toyota corolla compared to the competitors’ such as the
Honda Civic and Hyundai i30 to find the most suitable one.
4.0 Purchase Behavior/Post Purchase Behavior Analysis
After evaluation of alternatives the consumer proceeds to make the actual purchase and the
decision of the purchase is made on the most preferred brand. The Big Five Personality Traits
also provides an insight on consumer purchase decision, for example those with high openness
trait are curious to new innovation and are eager to enjoy new experiences. The consumers are