MMK101 Trimester 3: TOTO Marketing Strategy Recommendations Report

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of TOTO's marketing strategy, focusing on recommendations for the company's target market, which consists of single, urban-dwelling individuals. The report delves into the marketing mix, examining pricing, product, and promotion strategies. The pricing strategy analysis highlights TOTO's premium pricing approach, emphasizing the importance of targeting high-income individuals who appreciate luxury products. The product strategy section emphasizes the value of eco-friendly and home-installable products, and recommends focusing on 'green products'. The promotion strategy discusses advertising campaigns, the use of social media, and CSR activities. The report concludes that TOTO should strengthen customer relationships, maintain an eco-friendly approach, and focus on single males and females to drive sales and brand image. It offers actionable recommendations for TOTO to enhance its marketing efforts and achieve its business objectives.

TOTO
ASSESSMENT 3
MMK101 TRIMESTER 3
MARKETING STRATEGY
RECOMMENDATIONS
Student Name:
Student Number:

Table of Contents
2.1. Target Market and Positioning Statement................................................................................3
2.2. Marketing Strategy Recommendations.....................................................................................3
2.2.1. Marketing Mix Element 1 Strategy...................................................................................3
2.2.2. Marketing Mix Element 2 Strategy...................................................................................3
2.2.3. Marketing Mix Element 3 Strategy...................................................................................4
2.3. Conclusion................................................................................................................................4
Reference List..................................................................................................................................5

2.1. Target Market and Positioning Statement.
Target Market: Single male or female in urban city.
Positioning
Statement:
Toto believes in manufacturing ecofriendly high- end toilet and bidet
product lines which can be easily built at homes.
2.2. Marketing Strategy Recommendations.
2.2.1. Price strategy
Price is one of the most important factor in the marketing of any product. There is a secret
behind every successful company because they only grow because of the successful pricing
strategy which a customer prefers easily. There are several marketing strategy that a company
follows like premium pricing, price skimming, pricing on the basis of market penetration,
psychological pricing and many more. When it comes to the brand Toto, the brand itself reflect
lush and luxury. So it follows the premium pricing strategy by providing premium pricing range
to its customers. Moreover, Toto focuses higher and luxury segments of people, it does not
compete with other brands because other brands basically tends to maintain mass market by
designing the product in such a manner that is less expensive i.e. they focus obtaining price
penetration strategy. But, Toto products are expensive, so they targets people with higher
incomes or those who have fine and good taste and preference in furniture i.e. they focus on
price skimming strategy where prices are kept high at first and then they are reduced later .
Those people can maintain the class and dignity of the brand. These can be either single male or

single female because they prefer to invest maximum of their investments in luxury products that
helps them to maintain their status and build a repo in the society.
The average price of the product (Aquia I Dual Flush and Aquia II Dual Flush) that Toto offers is
$526 whereas the highest price it offers is $686 and the lowest price Toto offers is $457 which is
not very affordable for a medium range of people (Paper due, 2009). Toto offers high end
products and satisfies its customers with a high confidence level. Similarly, the lowest price for
the Aquia III Dual Flush is $588. Since the prices are too high, Catalan customers cannot afford
such higher prices because it doesn’t match with the income earned by them. The company
cannot decrease its price below its value because at the end it have to bear the production cost.
So, the individual with a huge income level and who lives single can afford such brands to
maintain their image. In addition, rather than reducing price of the product, they can focus on
other different aspects like free installation, free transportation, long warranty period and many
more which also plays an important factor to attract customers. People who live single with
higher income tends to buy luxury products so they can easily afford Toto brand and their
products (De Mooij, 2013).
Taking the example of Australian market, the lifestyle of Austrians is very sound and the income
range is also high where they basically prefer high end quality products. Single male or female
living there earns a lot and they need not to spend their investment in families rather than they
would refer to spend on luxury products that would reflect lush and luxury.
So, it can be highly recommended that the Toto should target more on the single males and
females who has a higher range of income level and those who prefer high end quality products
keeping pricing factor aside.
2.2.2. Product Strategy
Product plays a very vital role in the marketing mix strategy which can be defined as the item
purchased to satisfy the need of a certain people. It can be obtained in any form i.e. either in
terms of services or in terms of goods and it can be any form like tangible or intangible as well.
So, when a person buys the product, he/she must be sure to buy the right product with the right
amount paid for it. The product purchased should be worthy in terms of market demand. Now,

when it comes to the brand ‘Toto’, the products offered by them are in huge varieties but it
basically focuses on toilets and bidets (Smith, 2016).
Toto has developed a new strategy ‘redefine clean’ where customers are urged to maintain
personal hygiene by involving themselves in different campaign. It manufactures those products
which can be easily built at home and are ecofriendly as well. Since, Toto focuses on single
males and females, they will definitely prefer luxury bathroom at their home which will identify
their image and goodwill in the society (Lenka, 2010). So keeping these factors into
consideration, Toto offers provides easy to use products. Hence, Toto targets on delivering ‘clean
products’ it should work on delivering the ‘green products’ to the customers where their products
manufactured will not create any hazardous effects on the environment. Toto is continually
focusing on creating such designs which will reduce the contribution of CO2 and increase the
energy savings (Toyosada, 2012). For this, Toto has remolded their products in such a way that it
provide high comfort and higher freedom. It has manufactured its infrastructure in such a manner
that it creates lush and comfort. It has also provided easiness in installation of its products which
has reduced design sophistication as well by standardizing its different parts of products.
When it comes to single male or female in urban areas, they are more product oriented rather
than focusing on price. They focuses on quality of the product. Toto provides several additional
features so that the people with luxury segments will find new ways to get their products at their
home.
2.2.3. Promotion Strategy
Promotion helps to boost and enhance brand sales and image in the minds of customers. It
includes several elements like sales promotion, public relation, advertising and sales
organizations. A company can advertise itself on different media like television, print media,
radio, social media and many more.
Toto has launched many advertising campaign which includes several promotional activities and
makes the customers aware about its existing products and innovations in the new products.
Their new promotional strategy has helped them to create hygiene and cleanliness in the minds
of Australians which motivates them to switch from outdated technology to new and modern

approaches (Borin,2013). Toto generally advertise itself on social media, television and digital
media. Toto’s commercial can also be easily found on you tube channels and moreover totos are
also focused on maintaining a strong relationship between customers and the service providers
because their feedbacks are taken into highest priority. Customers are free to post their
experience and share with other people (Cision, 2016).
Toto also believes in empowering CSR activities i.e. corporate social responsibilities where they
will promote ESG i.e. environment, society and governance activities in corporates. It also
focuses on creating and maintaining an ecofriendly environment where it provides zero industrial
accidents and occupational illness as well (Toto, 2013). Since, Toto target market is single males
and females, it also focuses on advertising and organizing campaign that will target those
specific age group with specific genders. Toto believes in targeting customers using several
advertising campaign where the customers are highly satisfied with the products offered by the
company. It also offers clearance sale and discount offers where their products are sold at a
lower price (Toto, 2018).
Thus, it can be recommended that being a reputed and a luxury brand, it should organize
maximum number of campaigns and discover the demands of the single males and females who
have a higher range of income.
2.3. Conclusion
From the above given statements, it can be concluded that Toto is a very well-known brand
which offers varieties of products in bathroom fixtures and fittings. It manufactures its products
in such a way that it can easily fulfill the need, luxury, comfort, beauty and performance. It
serves easy to use products that helps an individual to serve the quality of life and meet their
expectations. In the given marketing strategy opted by Toto, product, price and promotion has
played the major role while targeting the single males and females in the urban market. Toto
needs to work hard on maintaining a strong relationship between customers and service
providers where customers are free to post their experiences and they are also taken into
consideration as well.

Since, Toto should focus on maintaining ecofriendly environment where it will serve green
environment to the customers with innovations in their existing products, by delivering quality,
beauty, comfort and luxury. Similarly, Toto also makes sure that the products delivered to their
customers should regain maximum satisfaction and positive feedback as well. Totos carries
safety and efforts related to health with every of its promotional strategy where safety plays the
most important factor because safety of their customers will automatically generate customers
satisfaction and their interest too.
Reference List.
Borin, N., Lindsey-Mullikin, J. and Krishnan, R., 2013. An analysis of consumer reactions to
green strategies. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 22(2), pp.118-128.
Cision, 2016, TOTO Launches a New Wash let Advertising Campaign, viewed on 15th January,
2018. Available on: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/toto-launches-a-new-washlet-
advertising-campaign-300372668.html
De Mooij, M., 2013, Global marketing and advertising: Understanding cultural paradoxes. Sage
Publications.
Lenka, U., Suar, D. and Mohapatra, P.K., 2010. Soft and hard aspects of quality management
practices influencing service quality and customer satisfaction in manufacturing-oriented
services. Global Business Review, 11(1), pp.79-101.
Paper due, 2009, ‘Marketing Toto brand high efficiency’, viewed on: 12th January, 2018.
Available on: https://www.paperdue.com/essay/marketing-toto-brand-high-efficiency-22797
Shimizu, Y., Dejima, S. and Toyosada, K., 2012. The CO2 emission factor of water in Japan.
Water, 4(4), pp.759-769.
Smith J, 2016, Introducing Mizudori Gallery - The TOTO experts, viewed on 15th January, 2018.
Available at: https://www.houseofhome.com.au/blog/mizudori-gallery
TOTO Corporate Report, 2009, TOTO Company.

Toto, 2013, Toto corporate report, viewed on 15th January, 2018. Available on:
https://jp.toto.com/en/company/profile/library/pdf/report2013_en.pdf
Toto, 2018, Toto group policy, viewed on 15th January, 2018. Available on:
https://jp.toto.com/en/company/profile/philosophy/policy/index.htm
Toyosada, K., Shimizu, Y., Dejima, S., Yoshitaka, M. and Sakaue, K., 2012, August. Evaluation
of the potential of CO2 emission reduction achieved by using water-efficient housing equipment
in Dalian, China. In Proceedings of the 38th International Symposium of CIB W062 on Water
Supply and Drainage for Buildings, Edinburgh, UK (pp. 27-30).