Toyota disses Black consumers and the Black Press?
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Black Consumers Spend $2.2 Billion with Toyota, Yet Toyota Refuses to Thank Black Consumers for Their Support
By Jasmyne A. Cannick
NNPA National Correspondent
WASHINGTON D.C.--Toyota Motor Sales USA executives have angered National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) Chairman Danny Bakewell Sr. and America's preeminent Black newspaper publishers after the troubled carmaker backed out of a multi-million dollar advertising campaign targeting Black consumers. In a letter to Mr. Bakewell and the NNPA, Toyota executives said that Black consumers of Toyota products receive their advertising message from a number of media channels which include mainstream media (White media), thus implying that advertising in the Black newspapers was unnecessary.
This decision comes after months of meetings between Toyota executives and the NNPA, a network of 200 Black publishers which represents over 19.8 million weekly readers, approximately half of America's Black population.
"This is disappointing and intolerable behavior from a company who earned $2.2 billion from Black consumers last year and who was all too eager to send us their press releases asking us to write stories and editorials to influence Blacks to remain loyal in their time of trouble," said Chairman Bakewell. "But now that Toyota's pain has been eased by a Federal Transportation Department and NASA report, once again the Black consumer and the Black press have been forgotten."
Earlier this year, Toyota's president and CEO, Mr. Toyoda said, "Everyone at Toyota will continuously maintain a sense of gratitude to customers..."
Mr. Bakewell said, "Based on Toyota's actions, it appears that Mr. Toyoda's statement applies to everyone but the Black consumer."
The issue first surfaced with Toyota's unwillingness to run "Thank you" ads in Black newspapers. This was after Toyota spent millions advertising in White newspapers after last year's safety recall.
"Black people stood by Toyota during their time of crisis to the tune of $2.2 billion," said Mr. Bakewell. "Where is the thank you to Black consumers for their support and loyalty to Toyota? We just can't stand by and let Toyota disrespect our people that way."
NNPA publishers plan to run full page ads in their newspapers beginning next week in response to what they feel is another example of Toyota sending a clear and direct message that Toyota disrespects, undervalues and takes the Black consumer for granted. The ads will ask Mr. Toyoda to stop disrespecting and exploiting Black consumers -- their customers.
"Toyota insulted us by putting those thank you ads in White newspapers and refusing to address Black consumers in Black newspapers," said Walter Smith, publisher of the New York Beacon.
"What Toyota is doing is reprehensible," commented Robert Bogle, publisher of the Philadelphia Tribune. "If it's so easy for Toyota to dismiss the Black press, no wonder they have no problem overlooking thanking their Black consumer base."
Even though African Americans contributed $2.2 billion to Toyota's annual sales, this was the second time that Black newspapers and Black consumers were not included in Toyota's advertising campaign, the first being Toyota's immediate response to its sticky gas pedal defect which resulted in full page newspaper ads in White newspapers in 25 cities.
According to research from leading automotive marketing research firm R.L. Polk & Company, Black consumers represent almost 10 percent of Toyota's American market share, 15 out of every 100 Black consumers purchase a Toyota.
Last week, Toyota's Vice-President of Product Communications Mr. James Colon left a phone message for Mr. Bakewell instructing him that he planned to reach out directly to NNPA's publishers in an effort to bypass the organization's leadership and speak directly to the organization's member newspapers, an unprecedented move which clearly violates protocol.
In an attempt to defend the letter Mike Michels, Toyota spokesperson stated, "We communicate with advertising media directly all of the time, so a communication to a variety of news media one kind or another, I don't think is unusual. The discussion with NNPA chairman and his negotiating team hasn't had a satisfactory outcome certainly for NNPA. And so, the purpose of the communication was to express our commitment to the African-American community and to reiterate that while it's being said that we don't have a commitment we do indeed. Long story short, we wanted the members to know our side of the story."
Mr. Bakewell responded, "I wish him good luck but I don't think that our publishers will break rank with me, after all we're smarter than that. That's what Toyota executives don't give us credit for. We know all too well the history of the Willie Lynch syndrome to divide and conquer."
Peggy Hunt, publisher of the Tri-County Sentry in California said that she was very offended by Mr. Colon's suggestion that she break rank and not follow the strong and unwavering leadership of NNPA's Chairman, Mr. Bakewell.
"Mr. Colon wouldn't and isn't going to get us to break rank and support Toyota," commented Hunt. "I was in the meeting when Mr. Colon committed to a partnership with NNPA and he has clearly broken his word. For Mr. Colon to then come back to the table with a drastically different proposal offering us less than what we agreed upon while excluding prior conversations regarding an annual advertising schedule with Black newspapers directed towards Black consumers shows that he and Toyota are taking the Black press for granted."
"I am not surprised at Toyota's lack of commitment," said Walter Smith. "Toyota has a long history of insulting and ignoring African Americans. In 1985, the Prime Minister of Japan, Yasuhiro Nakasone, said that Japan was more intelligent than countries like the United States because they didn't have a lot of Blacks, Puerto Ricans, and Mexicans. He felt that ethnic minorities were low level and brought the intelligence quota down, an unforgivable statement. So what Toyota is doing with the NNPA is of no surprise to me."
Currently, Toyota spends $1.6 billion annually advertising in America of which $20 million is spent in total in Black media, including radio, print, television, and digital advertising. However, Mr. Bakewell pointed out, the media Toyota uses to reach Black people is not always Black owned even though Toyota claims to spend $20 million with Black-owned media.
Burrell Communications, Toyota's advertising agency of record for the African-American market has repeatedly claimed that Toyota's commitment to diversity is reflected in their partnerships with many highly respected minority organizations throughout the country.
And while calls to Burrell's Co-CEO Fay Ferguson were not returned, Toyota's James Colon was quick to point out in his letter to NNPA's publishers that through partnerships with Black organizations, Toyota has demonstrated their commitment to Black people.
Mr. Bakewell says that given the $2.2 billion spent by Black consumers with Toyota, he's issuing a challenge to Toyota regarding the amount of money they spend with national Black civil rights organizations including the NAACP, Rainbow PUSH, National Action Network, National Urban League, UNCF, NCNW and others. A good start for Toyota would be to give each of these organizations $3 million, annually. They do the business of defending and enhancing the quality of life for African Americans, and our communities, and they shouldn't have to do that on a shoestring budget.
Ben Jealous, president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People said, "The NAACP supports Chairman Bakewell and the NNPA. We hope Toyota will see the value in partnering with the Black press every year. They are our most trusted publications."
Many of NNPA's publishers were shocked at the audacity of Toyota to bypass their elected chairman and leader, a move many say illustrates the disrespect that Toyota has for African Americans.
"It was very disrespectful to contact our membership directly and not go through our leadership which he [Mr. Colon] had been in constant contact with," said Michael House, publisher of the Chicago Defender and chair of the NNPA Marketing Committee. "For him to disregard our leadership and our chairman and try to go to our publishers directly was disrespectful in the sense that it speaks to the old 'divide and conquer.' Trying to reach out to our membership individually was wrong, especially after our elected leadership had already spoken for our members."
"NNPA is unified," commented Mollie Belt, publisher of the Dallas Examiner. "We communicate with nearly 20 million Black people every week. We have the trust and respect of the Black community. We are the voice of Black people and for Toyota to go around our elected leadership directly to our members shows a huge sign of disrespect. That would be like NNPA going over Toyota's American representatives directly to Mr. Toyoda in Japan."
NNPA chairman Mr. Bakewell says that he plans to call on the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus to request hearings regarding Toyota's relationship and business practices with the African-American community.
"And we will attempt to get a meeting with Toyota's Chairman," said Mr. Bakewell "... including going to Japan if necessary. So if Jim Colon wants to play that game we can play it too. We will ask the Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus to lead a delegation of Black newspaper publishers and leaders to Japan so that we can speak directly to Toyota's leadership."
PART 2 - Next post
By Jasmyne A. Cannick
NNPA National Correspondent
WASHINGTON D.C.--Toyota Motor Sales USA executives have angered National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) Chairman Danny Bakewell Sr. and America's preeminent Black newspaper publishers after the troubled carmaker backed out of a multi-million dollar advertising campaign targeting Black consumers. In a letter to Mr. Bakewell and the NNPA, Toyota executives said that Black consumers of Toyota products receive their advertising message from a number of media channels which include mainstream media (White media), thus implying that advertising in the Black newspapers was unnecessary.
This decision comes after months of meetings between Toyota executives and the NNPA, a network of 200 Black publishers which represents over 19.8 million weekly readers, approximately half of America's Black population.
"This is disappointing and intolerable behavior from a company who earned $2.2 billion from Black consumers last year and who was all too eager to send us their press releases asking us to write stories and editorials to influence Blacks to remain loyal in their time of trouble," said Chairman Bakewell. "But now that Toyota's pain has been eased by a Federal Transportation Department and NASA report, once again the Black consumer and the Black press have been forgotten."
Earlier this year, Toyota's president and CEO, Mr. Toyoda said, "Everyone at Toyota will continuously maintain a sense of gratitude to customers..."
Mr. Bakewell said, "Based on Toyota's actions, it appears that Mr. Toyoda's statement applies to everyone but the Black consumer."
The issue first surfaced with Toyota's unwillingness to run "Thank you" ads in Black newspapers. This was after Toyota spent millions advertising in White newspapers after last year's safety recall.
"Black people stood by Toyota during their time of crisis to the tune of $2.2 billion," said Mr. Bakewell. "Where is the thank you to Black consumers for their support and loyalty to Toyota? We just can't stand by and let Toyota disrespect our people that way."
NNPA publishers plan to run full page ads in their newspapers beginning next week in response to what they feel is another example of Toyota sending a clear and direct message that Toyota disrespects, undervalues and takes the Black consumer for granted. The ads will ask Mr. Toyoda to stop disrespecting and exploiting Black consumers -- their customers.
"Toyota insulted us by putting those thank you ads in White newspapers and refusing to address Black consumers in Black newspapers," said Walter Smith, publisher of the New York Beacon.
"What Toyota is doing is reprehensible," commented Robert Bogle, publisher of the Philadelphia Tribune. "If it's so easy for Toyota to dismiss the Black press, no wonder they have no problem overlooking thanking their Black consumer base."
Even though African Americans contributed $2.2 billion to Toyota's annual sales, this was the second time that Black newspapers and Black consumers were not included in Toyota's advertising campaign, the first being Toyota's immediate response to its sticky gas pedal defect which resulted in full page newspaper ads in White newspapers in 25 cities.
According to research from leading automotive marketing research firm R.L. Polk & Company, Black consumers represent almost 10 percent of Toyota's American market share, 15 out of every 100 Black consumers purchase a Toyota.
Last week, Toyota's Vice-President of Product Communications Mr. James Colon left a phone message for Mr. Bakewell instructing him that he planned to reach out directly to NNPA's publishers in an effort to bypass the organization's leadership and speak directly to the organization's member newspapers, an unprecedented move which clearly violates protocol.
In an attempt to defend the letter Mike Michels, Toyota spokesperson stated, "We communicate with advertising media directly all of the time, so a communication to a variety of news media one kind or another, I don't think is unusual. The discussion with NNPA chairman and his negotiating team hasn't had a satisfactory outcome certainly for NNPA. And so, the purpose of the communication was to express our commitment to the African-American community and to reiterate that while it's being said that we don't have a commitment we do indeed. Long story short, we wanted the members to know our side of the story."
Mr. Bakewell responded, "I wish him good luck but I don't think that our publishers will break rank with me, after all we're smarter than that. That's what Toyota executives don't give us credit for. We know all too well the history of the Willie Lynch syndrome to divide and conquer."
Peggy Hunt, publisher of the Tri-County Sentry in California said that she was very offended by Mr. Colon's suggestion that she break rank and not follow the strong and unwavering leadership of NNPA's Chairman, Mr. Bakewell.
"Mr. Colon wouldn't and isn't going to get us to break rank and support Toyota," commented Hunt. "I was in the meeting when Mr. Colon committed to a partnership with NNPA and he has clearly broken his word. For Mr. Colon to then come back to the table with a drastically different proposal offering us less than what we agreed upon while excluding prior conversations regarding an annual advertising schedule with Black newspapers directed towards Black consumers shows that he and Toyota are taking the Black press for granted."
"I am not surprised at Toyota's lack of commitment," said Walter Smith. "Toyota has a long history of insulting and ignoring African Americans. In 1985, the Prime Minister of Japan, Yasuhiro Nakasone, said that Japan was more intelligent than countries like the United States because they didn't have a lot of Blacks, Puerto Ricans, and Mexicans. He felt that ethnic minorities were low level and brought the intelligence quota down, an unforgivable statement. So what Toyota is doing with the NNPA is of no surprise to me."
Currently, Toyota spends $1.6 billion annually advertising in America of which $20 million is spent in total in Black media, including radio, print, television, and digital advertising. However, Mr. Bakewell pointed out, the media Toyota uses to reach Black people is not always Black owned even though Toyota claims to spend $20 million with Black-owned media.
Burrell Communications, Toyota's advertising agency of record for the African-American market has repeatedly claimed that Toyota's commitment to diversity is reflected in their partnerships with many highly respected minority organizations throughout the country.
And while calls to Burrell's Co-CEO Fay Ferguson were not returned, Toyota's James Colon was quick to point out in his letter to NNPA's publishers that through partnerships with Black organizations, Toyota has demonstrated their commitment to Black people.
Mr. Bakewell says that given the $2.2 billion spent by Black consumers with Toyota, he's issuing a challenge to Toyota regarding the amount of money they spend with national Black civil rights organizations including the NAACP, Rainbow PUSH, National Action Network, National Urban League, UNCF, NCNW and others. A good start for Toyota would be to give each of these organizations $3 million, annually. They do the business of defending and enhancing the quality of life for African Americans, and our communities, and they shouldn't have to do that on a shoestring budget.
Ben Jealous, president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People said, "The NAACP supports Chairman Bakewell and the NNPA. We hope Toyota will see the value in partnering with the Black press every year. They are our most trusted publications."
Many of NNPA's publishers were shocked at the audacity of Toyota to bypass their elected chairman and leader, a move many say illustrates the disrespect that Toyota has for African Americans.
"It was very disrespectful to contact our membership directly and not go through our leadership which he [Mr. Colon] had been in constant contact with," said Michael House, publisher of the Chicago Defender and chair of the NNPA Marketing Committee. "For him to disregard our leadership and our chairman and try to go to our publishers directly was disrespectful in the sense that it speaks to the old 'divide and conquer.' Trying to reach out to our membership individually was wrong, especially after our elected leadership had already spoken for our members."
"NNPA is unified," commented Mollie Belt, publisher of the Dallas Examiner. "We communicate with nearly 20 million Black people every week. We have the trust and respect of the Black community. We are the voice of Black people and for Toyota to go around our elected leadership directly to our members shows a huge sign of disrespect. That would be like NNPA going over Toyota's American representatives directly to Mr. Toyoda in Japan."
NNPA chairman Mr. Bakewell says that he plans to call on the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus to request hearings regarding Toyota's relationship and business practices with the African-American community.
"And we will attempt to get a meeting with Toyota's Chairman," said Mr. Bakewell "... including going to Japan if necessary. So if Jim Colon wants to play that game we can play it too. We will ask the Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus to lead a delegation of Black newspaper publishers and leaders to Japan so that we can speak directly to Toyota's leadership."
PART 2 - Next post
Comments
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"Black newspapers are tried, true, and trusted when it comes to Black people in America," said Mr. Bakewell. "We are the gatekeepers for reaching Black people. Ford and GM understand that, as do other corporations like AT&T and Wells Fargo. When corporations want and need to reach the African-American consumer they see Black newspapers as the vehicle through which to reach Black people. Toyota needs to stop trivializing the power the of the Black press and understand that all we want is for Toyota to give Black people the same kind of respect and reciprocity that they give their white consumers."
"We will not let up or relent until Toyota does right by our people and I am not alone. I am 200 Black newspaper publishers strong, with the support of 19.8 million weekly readers throughout America," stated Chairman Bakewell on behalf of the NNPA.
What do you all think? I feel a certain type of way but I am going to hold my tongue on this until I get some feed back. -
I'm not susprise by this, i bet we see some Toyota commericals during the BET awards, and Let's See if Ebony and Jet stop printing Toyota ads The people at NNPA are last of a dying breed because as a Race we don't fight no more and we get disrespected everyday on TV, and Radio it's a damn shame that we overlook it. It's just prophecy being fullfilled.
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first time I ever heard of the NNPA
Racially I can't say I'm for or against this. I don't know enough about the topic to express an opinion.
Economically, I don't trust corporations (especially multinational ones). So yeah........ -
The user and all related content has been deleted.
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So they're mad because Toyota won't pay to advertise in their newspapers/publications?
Looks like more of a money thing than a race thing.
If Toyota is selling so well to Black Americans as it is, I'd think they'd be hard-pressed to throw millions at Black-owned media; which they haven't needed the help of.
Seems like an attempt of the NNPA to use the race card for extortion. -
fiat_money wrote: »So they're mad because Toyota won't pay to advertise in their newspapers/publications?
Looks like more of a money thing than a race thing.
If Toyota is selling so well to Black Americans as it is, I'd think they'd be hard-pressed to throw millions at Black-owned media; which they haven't needed the help of.
Seems like an attempt of the NNPA to use the race card for extortion.
I gotta agree wit this.
Cost/Benefit analysis goes into everything. If Toyota feels like advertising in the outlets that cater to Blacks won't increase the sales in the Black community enough to warrant the extra millions in advertising, they aren't going to do it. That's not racism. That's just good business.
The NNPA is trying to act like this is some big attack against Blacks, but it's not. It's just a financial loss for them. And is it the NNPA that has historically allowed for the heightened advertisement of things like alcohol and cigarretes through black outlets. If they cared so much about the black community would they really have done that?
And lol @ the article title. How would spending a bunch of money on advertising in black magazines thank blacks for their support anyway? -
The Lonious Monk wrote: »I gotta agree wit this.
Cost/Benefit analysis goes into everything. If Toyota feels like advertising in the outlets that cater to Blacks won't increase the sales in the Black community enough to warrant the extra millions in advertising, they aren't going to do it. That's not racism. That's just good business.
The NNPA is trying to act like this is some big attack against Blacks, but it's not. It's just a financial loss for them. And is it the NNPA that has historically allowed for the heightened advertisement of things like alcohol and cigarretes through black outlets. If they cared so much about the black community would they really have done that?
And lol @ the article title. How would spending a bunch of money on advertising in black magazines thank blacks for their support anyway?
That is pretty much how I feel.
I think the Black Press is being duplicitous. Because for so long they have been seeking corporate ads at the expense of real support and advocacy from and for the Black community and their content shows it. (I doubt 19 million people read Black Newspapers.) In the 70's and 60's, Black Newspapers were way more radical and progressive, now it seems when the corporate dollars started coming in they watered down their content and left social and racial issues on the back burner because they did not want to offend their corporate sponsors.
Those ad dollars would benefit the Black Newspapers, which I don't have a problem with but they have to step their game up and quit playing both sides of the fence. You talk about others dissing the black community but you allow people to peddle nonsense in the form of poison and coonery for some ad dollars.
This does seem like a shakedown. -
Aren't companies allowed to back out of or renegotiate deals before finalizing them? The fact that it was "on the table" meant it was up for discussion, not finalized.its over: 2012! wrote: »That's not why they're mad, and they made that very clear...dishonesty is not good to use, in this case.
They're mad, at the double standard...they're mad that they backed out of a deal that was already on the table... -
its over: 2012! wrote: »and I should wait until you are done, holding tongue, so I can eat you alive regarding some fake fucc ? filanthropy you promote here, for months. But, I ain't.
You on some fakery here, of a magnitude that makes it a surprise that you would even condemn Toyota for the stance they've taken...lol...you attack Rev. sharpton you attack Rev. Jackson for combating poor Black's subjugation... but as soon as uppity-Negroes and Uncle Tom publishers and Editors, start looking for the type handout --- that heyslick type of Whitefolk always receive--- then all of a sudden your hypocrisy skills come out, yey, your doublestandards come out.
I took you off ignore because you had like 3 post back to back to back. Yep just what I expected.
I haven't condemned Toyota, House ? . Hence the Question mark at the end of the thread title. Read my post above for how I see it.
I have never condemn Jesse or Rev. Sharpton for doing anything of good.
Now you and your ambulance chasing poverty pimpin ilk, can go back to white slavemaster and ask him for more crumbs and uh back to the ignore list, for now. -
I can't take ? like this seriously when the word "diss" is used.
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The bolded pretty much goes with what I was saying:its over: 2012! wrote: »Any person here, who's a business owner...is likely being dishonest, or plainly lying, if they say there is nothing wrong with this chain-of-events from a business perspective;WASHINGTON D.C.--Toyota Motor Sales USA executives have angered National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) Chairman Danny Bakewell Sr. and America's preeminent Black newspaper publishers after the troubled carmaker backed out of a multi-million dollar advertising campaign targeting Black consumers. In a letter to Mr. Bakewell and the NNPA, Toyota executives said that Black consumers of Toyota products receive their advertising message from a number of media channels which include mainstream media (White media), thus implying that advertising in the Black newspapers was unnecessary.
This decision comes after months of meetings between Toyota executives and the NNPA, a network of 200 Black publishers which represents over 19.8 million weekly readers, approximately half of America's Black population.
They've done well without this deal with the NNPA; so if they don't feel the price is right, they probably see the deal as unneeded.fiat_money wrote: »...If Toyota is selling so well to Black Americans as it is, I'd think they'd be hard-pressed to throw millions at Black-owned media; which they haven't needed the help of...
If that's the case, seems like a reasonable move.
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You have to understand the psyche of most Black "entrpenuers" or agencies who provide a social service or a product that relies on a) White corporate sponsorship or
black nihilism to get funding and stay afloat.
They rely on corporate dollars because they really have not learned how to supply the true needs of the Black community thereby making it a reciprocal and cyclical relationship, so they instead choose to shake down white corporations with guilt and they also have a vested interest in keeping the image of Black people in a perpetual victim and downtrodden state. They are not really interested in solving the problem because if they would they would be out of business. There would be no need to support their ? progess conference, round tables, townhall meetings and what not. Take a look at the next conference or public meeting that one of these organizations hold and look at all the sponsors logos around. That tells the story. Why would I want the Black community to right itself if I am getting dollars for it being in a less than desirable condition?
So these white companies(and non white in the case of Toyota) will give money, funding whatever for some programs that really don't work. Because if they did, they would be out of business.
I am not mad at the hustle. Just take the money and do something productive with it instead of paying bougeroise Negros high salaries and costly conventions and picnics every year. Build some real infrastructure in the hood. Supermarkets, Factories, Real Estate development, etc. Do something that can generate revenue and help make people productive. Put people to work and promote industry and self sufficiency.
My Uncle worked at GM for 53 years he said there was enough black intelligent engineers and mangers there and at Ford, to build their own car line. Think Black people wouldn't support it world wide just out of sheer pride? White people would too, if it were quality.
It is time to stop this shakedown politics and poverty pimping. -
I have owned 2 Toyotas.
Currently a Toyota owner now. What do you think the National ? Publishers Association(original name) would have me do? -
i gotta admit... i dont think i give a ?
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its over: 2012! wrote: »This actually is contradictory, to capitalism, in light of the facts in this story...
Toyota already had a deal, here. Which means they had already done the req'd research, for verifying the effectiveness of Advertising
prior to ever sitting down weeks ago, to present this Advertising deal, to the NNPA. Don't forget, its not just Black news outlets who are ? here. the entire NNPA is befuddled by Toyota backing out of the deal vs. Traditional chain-of-events for these types of business ventures. IOW, White newspapers are discombobulated over this, as well..
Toyota has decided that Blacks aren't worthy, of the treatment White customers enjoy, and its a shame that other Blacks have decided to agree with Toyota.
I blame Obama!
For giving America the green light, to treat Blacks like 2nd-Class Citizens, on his watch
That's not exactly true. They were working on a deal and they backed out. If they had already signed a contract for the work and then backed out, they'd have to pay restitution, so obviously things hadn't gotten that far. Analysis for something like this is pretty complex. It's not at all unrealistic that new developments or insight came to them at this time and they made their decision based on that.
I'm not understanding what "treatment" whites are enjoying. This is not a discussion about Toyota giving back to the community. If it was, then I could understand anger. This is a discussion about where Toyota chooses to advertise. The fact of the matter is that advertisement in this country that targets the majority will more than likely hit minorities too. If they put tons of Toyota commercials on ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, etc... Blacks are going to see those commercials too. Since they are already reaching that demographic, there is no point in putting more money into targetting them. The article makes it seem like Toyota should do this as a reward to the Black community for its support, but spending millions of dollars on superfluous advertisement is bad business for the company and doesn't benefit the black community much either. The only party that this truly has a big impact on is the NNPA. That's why they are trying to play the race card. They figure if they can get blacks riled up, Toyota will change it's mind so as to avoid some type of boycot situation. The NNPA is trying to use the black community as a tool for profit, and no one should be cool with that.
Take race out of it for a second, its over. You and another party were in talks concerning a business venture that was supposed to be mutually beneficial to both of you. Are you saying that you'd still continue with that venture even after you sat back and realized that you'd be getting nothing from it in the end and only the other party would profit? -
fiat_money wrote: »The bolded pretty much goes with what I was saying:They've done well without this deal with the NNPA; so if they don't feel the price is right, they probably see the deal as unneeded.
If that's the case, seems like a reasonable move.The Lonious Monk wrote: »That's not exactly true. They were working on a deal and they backed out. If they had already signed a contract for the work and then backed out, they'd have to pay restitution, so obviously things hadn't gotten that far. Analysis for something like this is pretty complex. It's not at all unrealistic that new developments or insight came to them at this time and they made their decision based on that.
I'm not understanding what "treatment" whites are enjoying. This is not a discussion about Toyota giving back to the community. If it was, then I could understand anger. This is a discussion about where Toyota chooses to advertise. The fact of the matter is that advertisement in this country that targets the majority will more than likely hit minorities too. If they put tons of Toyota commercials on ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, etc... Blacks are going to see those commercials too. Since they are already reaching that demographic, there is no point in putting more money into targetting them. The article makes it seem like Toyota should do this as a reward to the Black community for its support, but spending millions of dollars on superfluous advertisement is bad business for the company and doesn't benefit the black community much either. The only party that this truly has a big impact on is the NNPA. That's why they are trying to play the race card. They figure if they can get blacks riled up, Toyota will change it's mind so as to avoid some type of boycot situation. The NNPA is trying to use the black community as a tool for profit, and no one should be cool with that.
Co-sign. Nothing more to see here folks.
/close thread -
its over: 2012! wrote: »Exactly.
And in light of the dollars listed, that Blacks spend with Toyota, then...it's a discussion about Toyota feeling/showing the nation that Blacks are not privy to their usual order of operations-for-Advertising. Toyota is just doing what the NBA is doing and Pop Culture's rap-Ads and those people who hire for corporate decision-making positions:
Evolving new ways, to racially-discriminate against Black people.
This in no way discriminates against black people though. Blacks still have access to buying toyota cars. And as the Toyota rep said, the advertising will still reach the Black community. So how are they discriminating against black people? You're making it seem like Toyota is saying "We don't care if they see our ads or not, and we don't care if they buy our cars." That's not what they are saying at all. They are saying "Blacks already see our ads through the present campaign strategy that we are employing, so it is not necessary for us to put millions of dollars specifically in targeting them." Again, that's not racist, its business. Why should Toyota put millions of dollar into targeting a single group, and how is it discrimination when they don't do that? -
its over: 2012! wrote: »How?
Because this is how Toyota doesnt mind catering to it's White status quo
How are they catering to the white status quo? They are catering to the capitalist status quo, which means they are making moves that will make the most money while incurring the least cost. If you read that argument, they are making it seem like Toyota has some obligation to support black organizations. Toyota has no such obligations. It's a business. Their only obligation is to make a decent product and make a profit.And last time I checked, that you disregarded here;
NNPA has 19.8 million Black readers/potential Toyota buyers, who the above mediums you referenced, do not have.
Huh? NNPA has 19.8 million subscribers. However, none of those people subscribe solely to the NNPA produced stuff. You can bet that all of those people watch channels on tv that have Toyota ads run, see Toyota billboards, or attend Toyota sponsored events. In other words, it's not necessary to try and advertise specifically to that 19.8 million through NNPA when chances are they hit those same people through other avenues.
My majore problem with this article is it is acting like Toyota owes black people thanks for buying its products. Toyota doesn't owe anyone thanks for buying its cars. People by cars based on what they want, need, and can afford. No black person is going out there buying a Toyota because they want the Toyota company to do well or because they feel some loyalty towards Toyota. At most they are doing it because they like Toyotas. If that is the case, they aren't owed any thanks by the company. And even if Toyota did owe our community thanks, doing it by putting more advertisements in black media would be about the dumbest way they could show their thanks. It ain't like that money would come back to the hood. It would go into the pockets of the big wigs at the NNPA and the heads of the various media outlets. Which in turn would probably be spent at the high end stores and restaurants that most of those people shop, which are owned by whites not blacks. -
How does Toyota, giving millions of dollars to the NNPA show support to ME? I'm still stuck on the article title....
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And for the record, Toyota manufacturers cars here in America and they employ Americans.
Also the 19.8 million subscribers is misleading. Let me tell you how. I use to distribute two prominent Black Newspapers in an establishment I owned. Most of time I would purchase them for resale and it would be a set amount. This amount would almost never be sold out because people chose not to buy it. So lets say I bought 10 an issue and sold 2. This would be counted as 10 subscriptions because I purchased them. Doesn't mean 10 people bought them. This is going all over for both black and white owned newspapers. Most Black owned newspapers end up in barber shops, corner stores, and other business establishments. Most distributed copies do not end up in individual households. This is fudging the numbers.
Toyota and other companies know this. They know the Black press has nowhere the influence it once did because the Black press started chasing the corporate dollars after the Civil Rights and Black Power movements opened the door. They stopped concentrating on the market that blew them up: The need of the people. Now it is coming back to haunt them because Corporate donors are drying up. Many Black Newspapers have shut down and/or scaled back because circulation is not enough to sustain their product.
If the Black press would focus on increasing their circulation via the grass roots and start promoting and supporting real substantive issues they could revive it.
We will see.................. -
It's all irrelevant. 19.8 mil subscribers or not, I'm pretty sure every single one of them has seen a Toyota commercial on TV. We all have, so why should they inviest millions of dollars into marketing media that is targeted at blacks. It doesn't make sense. You always advertise in a way that reaches the most people. You'd only target a smaller groups specifically if you couldn't catch them with the larger net. Toyota is simply looking at the fact that they have a large number of black buyers, so there is no real reason to do more.
I'm sorry, but this article can't be taken seriously. It's written by the NNPA so of course they are going to make Toyota seem like the bad guy. It's biased and silly.
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