Japan

Advertising and Publicity

1991-1995

After the Bubble: Responding to Changes in Consumer Needs with RVs and Compact Cars

The collapse of Japan's asset price bubble that started in 1991 put the entire Japanese economy into a state of turmoil.

The automotive market also lost momentum in the post-bubble economy. The age of consecutive growth came to an official end, with annual sales sinking to well below five million units in 1993.

Sales across the Toyota Group were 2.5 million units in 1990 thanks to the hard work of dealers in all sales channels, but fell short of 2.1 million units in 1993 despite a rebound in market share to 42.3%.

Consumer preferences also started to shift, this time from large, luxury vehicles to compact, economy cars.

Toyota was among the first to pick up on this change, launching the RAV4 (1994) and other models in the RV market, and redesigning numerous models in the compact car market, including the 'three siblings'-the Corolla II, Tercel, and Corsa (1994)-and the Corolla (1995, eighth generation).

RAV4

RAV4

With the Earth Summit taking place in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, recycling and global environmental problems that had surfaced during the bubble years were gaining mass media attention during this period in addition to ongoing problems such as traffic accidents, air pollution, and energy. In 1993, Toyota commenced a series of company advertisements titled, 'Let's talk', that asked customers to join Toyota in thinking about the question, 'What makes a great car?' The campaign promoted Toyota as a company that is serious about exploring the proper role of vehicles in future society and one that is facing up to its responsibility and mission as the top manufacturer in the Japanese auto market.

Year
Month
Events
1991
January
Dr. Dolittle 'What makes a great car?' campaign conducted
January
Cynos debuts; 'More than a friend, less than a lover' campaign conducted
October

Aristo

Aristo debuts; 'Genesis. Aristo' campaign conducted
October
Crown completely redesigned; 'All is Crown' campaign conducted
1992
February
Barcelona Olympics support campaign conducted
May

orolla Ceres

Corolla Ceres debuts; '2+a(alpha)=Ceres' campaign conducted
August
Carina completely redesigned; 'Carina on a Hill' campaign conducted
October
Mark II completely redesigned; 'Mark the Mark II' campaign conducted
1993
February
Campaign celebrating 80 million Toyota vehicles produced
June
Company advertising campaign 'Let's talk' commenced
October
Carina ED completely redesigned; 'TYPE: ED, the style for driving' campaign conducted
October
Celica completely redesigned; 'A Celica-kind of guy' campaign conducted
October
Corona Exiv completely redesigned; 'Why did Lupin target an Exiv?' campaign conducted
1994
January
Curren debuts; 'That car is a Curren' campaign conducted
May
RAV4 debuts; 'The sport called RAV4' campaign conducted
October
Celsior completely redesigned; 'Striving for depth, not change' campaign conducted
1995
March
'We are the Toyota RVs!' joint RV campaign conducted
May
Sprinter completely redesigned; 'Drive happiness!' ad campaign conducted
May
Corolla completely redesigned; 'So much better, all the way through' ad campaign conducted
August
New Crown Majesta released; 'This car compliments its owner first' ad campaign conducted
September
All-Toyota 'Big Challenge' campaign conducted

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