Integrated Marketing Communications (ICM) for Toyota: A Social Media Strategy

This paper discusses Toyota's Integrated Marketing Communications (ICM) strategy and how it utilizes social media to enhance brand recognition and awareness. It covers the selection and integration of social media strategy, communication objectives, and a marketing communication plan for Toyota. The paper also evaluates Toyota's communication agenda and provides significant understanding for the integration of communication channels.

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Table of Contents
Introduction............................................................................................................................2
Discussion..............................................................................................................................2
Explanations of Selection and Integration of Social Media Strategy................................5
Toyota’s Influencers, Information Strategy as well as Tactical Planning.........................6
Communications plan that effectively meets communication objectives for Toyota’s
organizational situation................................................................................................................7
Marketing Communication Plan In Relation to the Communication Strategy..................8
Conclusion..............................................................................................................................9
References............................................................................................................................10

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Introduction
Toyota Motor Corporation founded in the year 1937 by Kiichiro has successfully expanded
as a leader pioneering and addressing significant quality challenges and issues associated to the
automobile manufacturing processes. However it has been noted that Toyota in the conclusion of
the financial year in 2016, has produced around 8,565,895 which is lower in comparison to the
figures recorded in 2015 because of declining demand in the market along with severe instability
in the fuel price ranges (Ang 2014). The marketing strategy currently implemented by Toyota
motors is identified as penetration pricing that significantly aims to amplify the sales growth of
the company and further acquire wide ranging industry share within the market domain where
the company is executing its business operations (Luxton, Reid and Mavondo 2015). Toyota’s
implementation of penetration pricing marketing strategy primarily stated Toyota’s purpose of
selling cars in low end of the price spectrum which has the tendency to facilitate price
susceptible consumer base (Valos et al. 2016). The following paper will highlight the various
forms of marketing networks and the way the company has been serving communication
purposes within its organizational context. In addition to this, the report will evaluate its
communication agenda and provide significant understanding for the integration of
communication channels.
Discussion
Marketing channels and communication objectives within Toyota
Integrated Marketing Communications (ICM) has been typically signified as promoting
and elevating company’s products, brands, services and positioning in the marketplace through

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various communication mediums to successfully attain their representative objectives and goals
such as increase in sales along with an improved and expanded brand recognition and reputation
(Kriyantono 2017). Various forms of advertising has been utilized in marketing domain for ages
as these strategies can be utilized in order to identify various goals and agendas for an
organization related to awareness, interest, demand and action (Smilansky 2017). Toyota being a
highly recognized brand for decades constitutes broad range of customers who have probably
noticed or have obtained significant understanding of advertisements and promoting of Toyota
on various media channels associated with online, digital as well as print media. This approach
has been distinguished as a proven example of IMC strategy that has been efficiently being
utilized in order to successfully communicate as well as promote Toyota’s products in the
manufacturing market place (Luxton, Reid and Mavondo 2015). All of the company’s worldwide
endorsements and advertising are identified as different from one another as each of the
endorsing strategies primarily purpose specifically to shed light on diverse range of consumers in
accordance to the product being successfully promoted or endorsed (Felix, Rauschnabel and
Hinsch 2017).
Various forms of social networking sites such as Facebook, YouTube, Google+, Twitter
and Instagram have been included into the Integrated Communication Plan of Toyota within the
manufacturing market domain (Toyota UK 2018). Certain social media platforms have further
been recognized which tend to deal with Web-based processes of communication and interaction
with both peers as well as strangers by posting comments, sincere reviews and feedbacks, images
and videos (Sipho and Daniel 2017). However the well-known and highly established social
networking sites are utilized in forms of structures of interconnections and linkages among
consumers which further exhibit a propensity to disseminate word of mouth (WOM). These

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communication or words of mouth are perceived to be highly purposeful, authentic or
dependable to its consumer base as being compared to other forms of advertising (Camuffo and
Wilhelm 2016). However social media is essentially being recognized to be highly profuse area
of avenues for marketers or sellers. Furthermore, Return of Investments (ROI) as well as Key
Performance Indicators (KPIs) engaged to social media endorsements and promotions can be
efficiently calculated with the facilitation of digital analytics (Toma and Naruo 2017).
Manufacturing business enterprises like Toyota have been proficiently aligning their
communicating strategies and approaches with both of their online as well as offline marketing.
Furthermore, IMC has been identified to have a power to reach wide range of audience or
potential customers rather than solely implementing customary or conventional media platforms.
Toyota has effectively illustrated strategies of IMC (Ashley and Tuten 2015). It has been
observed that the company’s use of both offline as well as digital marketing strategies has
facilitated Toyota to attain a substantial rate of prominence and value and be recognized as one
of the world’s highly recognisable as well as enviable product till date (Smilansky 2017).
Communication objectives for Toyota
The aim of communication objective plan of Toyota is to introduce their broad range of
stakeholders. The launch of a new car devoid of cooperation and collaboration of Toyota’s
workforce would result as a critical failure (Kriyantono 2017). Thus it has been identified as
immensely crucial for any organization like Toyota to establish constructive communication base
with its workforce, further providing comprehensive explanations regarding the need and
demands of new products, procedures of introducing the car along with the anticipated outcome
of product launch (Toyota UK 2018). The communication plan thus can be identified as the

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beginning of transitions within organizational contexts. Modern researchers have associated
positive attitudes and conducts in order to alter factors as constructive or effective organizational
performance and growth, organizational citizenship behavioural patterns along with highly
effective and attainable job performance (Sipho and Daniel 2017). Toyota in order to develop
transitions within organizational context must be cognizant of the impact that this transformation
will have on its workforce which may hold regarding this type of transition.
Explanations of Selection and Integration of Social Media Strategy
Social Media Strategy implemented by Toyota is significantly purposed at establishing
trust, commitment, association and communication with the company’s consumer base on digital
platform via social networking sites namely Facebook, Google+, Twitter, YouTube and
Instagram which will have significant consequence on its sales growth (Betancourt, Mooney and
Ross 2018). This social strategy of Toyota is aimed as a 6 month strategy utilizing social sites
such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. This plan will identify the essential
stakeholders and further target them on their platforms. The primary stakeholders of Toyota are:
 Customers or Prospective Customers or the essential determinants of Toyota
 Competitors engaged in car manufacturing sector- All competing car organizations
 Corporate Groups and Car Enthusiasts
 Workforce, Business Associates
 Global Society as well as Local Associations or Groups (Toma and Naruo 2017)
Through the Social Media Strategy, Toyota’s Stakeholders can be targeted on various
social media platforms such as Facebook which comprises over 1000 million users; Toyota
Trinidad has over 650 associates. Similar scenarios can be witnessed about other social

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networking sites such as Twitter that constitutes over 500+ million users. Toyota through this
social media strategy significantly evaluates the areas of gaps, developments, opportunities and
aim to establish measurable agendas (Sipho and Daniel 2017). The company has evaluated the
amplified segment of opinions across both domains further analysing areas such as posts,
comments, messages, tweets and other shares (Valos et al. 2016). It further focuses on whether
these messages or posts can have constructive impact on the organization’s product promotion or
advertising and the ratio (Rechtin 2014). The social media strategy has addressed the measurable
goals and objectives whereby the increase in Facebook likes and shares have been noted along
with the elevated level of content and information that tends to resonate constructive reviews and
feedbacks related to good causes, attainments or achievements by locals, product implementation
improve videos, posts, pricing promos (Šerić, Gil-Saura and Ruiz-Molina 2014).
Toyota’s Influencers, Information Strategy as well as Tactical Planning
Toyota through the implementation of social media strategy has comprehended its
Influencers, Information Strategy and Tactical Planning to attain a significant communication
ground with its stakeholder base.
Influencers- Toyota through this communication addresses social networkers who tend to reveal
few propensities to cause others to execute any activity or alter their perceptions or conduct. The
company thus aim to distinguish 3 most crucial influencers on each social domain one of which
is identified as a product buyer or knowledge influencer and further utilize them to
consequentially determine their share of voice of those influencers (Sipho and Daniel 2017).
These vital influencers will further be chosen on the basis of their Social Media achievements
and success.

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Content Strategy- The aspect of content strategy will efficiently shed light on comments related
to other subject areas which tend to magnetize the highest amount of likes, shares and comments
as a evaluation platform (Rechtin 2014). Thus Toyota can anticipate amplification on content
strategy related to motivation or enthusiasm such as motivational statements, success stories
within the car manufacturing sector which features on local attainments. Attractive product
endorsements, promotional ideas related to vehicle improvements, contests, sales and purchase
(Luxton, Reid and Mavondo 2015).
Tactical Planning- Toyota has chosen Facebook as the social platform whereby immensity of
comments and shares integrated to all other domains, selective shares and posts that incorporate
images of contenders and winners for endorsements, product usage along with improvements
and developments.
Communications plan that effectively meets communication objectives for Toyota’s
organizational situation
In order to comprehend the way Toyota’s sales growth along with brand recognition and
awareness have been enhancing because of social media strategy, it has been suggested to view
the bottom part of the business where all marketers and user-generated activities are rationally
identified (Kriyantono 2017). However such strategies can significantly be implemented with the
facilitation of advanced analytical tools and platforms of social media. LikeAlyzer is identified
as a vital marketing tool which aims to evaluate the achievements and success of Facebook Page
and further examine its online actions and approaches (Rechtin 2014). This tool will proficiently
evaluate activities and the social media’s prospective success on Facebook providing pertinent

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and important inclusive feedbacks and suggestions related to future improvement and
developments of Toyota’s customer communication and dedication (Toma and Naruo 2017).
Another tool known as the Fanpage Karma multichannel social media platform tool aims
to manage and evaluate the performance level of social media and further aids the marketers and
buyers of Toyota to develop expanded social media associations or groups by successfully
providing comprehensive insights, techniques, strategies along with relevant degree of several
social media channels that includes Facebook and Instagram (Sipho and Daniel 2017). This tool
will further aim to evaluate and further enhance the page or profile of Toyota’s social media
account and detect the most effective timing, logic, framework or format of the comments,
shares and posts along with the rate of frequency of publishing in accordance to the age and
other vital demographics, time and day as well as other specific social, political and social events
(Valos et al. 2016). It further examines the social-users interests, preferences, determination,
influences or level of engagement that is specifically constructive to the decision-making
processes of the marketers or sellers related to the content of the product endorsement which
needs to be published (Borah and Tellis 2015).

9INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS (ICM)
5Cs Framework in Action for Toyota
Source: (Camuffo and Wilhelm 2016)
Marketing Communication Plan In Relation to the Communication Strategy
Stakeholders of Toyota expect the organization to listen and get integrated with well-
established communication procedures with them (Luxton, Reid and Mavondo 2015). The
facilitated constructive social media platform and dialogue between Toyota and its stakeholders
makes it easier for the company to successfully involve in dialogues and communication through
social media in order to enhance brand reputation and prominence as well as the relationships
and aim to be highly personal in its communication efforts (Hirashima et al. 2016). Social media
strategy plan with wide ranging social media sites are essentially vital in terms of crisis
management. Social media strategies plans observes that Toyota or other car companies with
persistent two process communication have been identified to either circumvent crises, social

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communication, misinterpretations on social media platform or experience diminutive or shorter-
lasting challenges or dilemma and further improve its brand prominence and value (Rechtin
2014).
Conclusion
To conclude, it can be stated that there have been identified several other options which
Toyota can implement in relation to establish a communication base for their products or brands
in the marketplace. However, an Integrated Marketing Communication strategy is identified to
be immensely effective and constructive approach of forming effective business communication
strategies within the market sector in which Toyota has been executing its business operations.
The social media strategy implemented by Toyota not only eradicates the areas of possibilities of
not being identified or overlooked but the recently developed social media strategy will
effectively facilitate the marketer base of Toyota to successfully attain their business goals and
by acquiring more success within segments of the marketplace.

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