To limit the proportions of the disaster, Toyota now plans a media blitz, emphasizing how safe, reliable and trustworthy the carmaker and it leadership are. The blitz already started with CEO Akio Toyoda's speech in Davos, a 75 seconds clip in which he apologizes for the "unease" caused to Toyota customers.
"We're extremely sorry to have made customers uneasy," Toyoda said. "We plan to establish the facts and give an explanation that will remove customers' concerns as soon as possible."
Today, February 1st, the counter offensive will be led by Toyota's US chief, Jim Lentz, who will be featured on several television shows, including NBC's "Today" show. The appearances will be the first made by senior North American executives since the recall turned into a monster.
Toyota already posted ads in several major newspapers on Sunday, trying to address the issue. The two recalls which have impaired the carmaker were even given official names: "Floor Mat Entrapment" and "Pedal". As the problem becomes more and more obvious, Toyota's Customer Center got swamped.
"We recognize you may have experienced lengthy wait times when calling our Customer Experience Center. We apologize for this," read Toyota's websites.
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