Viewers Say Akio Toyoda's Apology Less Sincere than Jim Lentz' Earlier Apology
Skepticism was strongest emotion felt by viewers during Akio Toyoda's apology to congress
Flemington, NJ, March 2, 2010 – A series of media studies exploring Toyota’s brand favorability revealed that viewers indicated that the recent apology by Akio Toyoda during a congressional hearing was less sincere than Jim Lentz’ earlier apology to Toyota owners.
The results were based on a series of studies that were conducted by HCD Research using its MediaCurves.com® website during 2009-2010. The studies were conducted among Americans who ranked the video apologies regarding the recent recall of many Toyota models. The most recent study was conducted during March 1-2, to obtain viewers’ perceptions of an apology by Akio Toyoda, president and CEO Toyota Motor Corporation, to the U.S. Congress. To view detailed results go to: www.mediacurves.com.
After viewing the video, respondents reported that “skepticism” (54%) was the emotion they felt most while viewing the apology. In addition, Akio Toyoda was rated lower on likeability, believability, and sincerity scales than Jim Lentz, president of Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc.
Among the findings:
Do you think that the apology to Toyota owners was sincere?
|
|
Lentz Apology
|
Toyoda Apology
|
|
Yes
|
77%
|
67%
|
|
No
|
23%
|
33%
|
Which of the following emotions did you feel while viewing the video? Please select all that apply.
|
|
Lentz Apology
|
Toyoda Apology
|
|
Anger
|
9%
|
9%
|
|
Inspiration
|
17%
|
20%
|
|
Sadness
|
31%
|
22%
|
|
Skepticism
|
46%
|
54%
|
|
Confusion
|
4%
|
11%
|
|
Disturbing
|
11%
|
11%
|
|
Embarrassment
|
14%
|
10%
|
|
Pride
|
12%
|
10%
|
|
Happiness
|
10%
|
8%
|
Please rate the person in the video on the following attributes where 1 represents “Not at all strong in this attribute” and 7 represents “Extremely strong in this attribute.”
|
|
Jim Lentz
|
Akio Toyoda
|
|
Likeability
|
4.6
|
4.1
|
|
Believability
|
4.8
|
4.2
|
|
Sincerity
|
4.9
|
4.4
|
While viewing the video, participants indicated their perceived levels of sincerity by moving their mouse from left to right on a continuum. The responses were recorded in quarter-second intervals and reported in the form of curves. The participants were also asked to respond to post-viewing questions.
Editors/Reporters: For more information on the study, or to speak with Glenn Kessler, president and CEO, HCD Research, please contact Vince McGourty, HCD Research, at (908) 483-9121 or (vince.mcgourty@hcdi.net). You can also receive updates from MediaCurves.com by following us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/mediacurves and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Flemington-NJ/MediaCurves/86691908820
HCD Research is a marketing and communications research company headquartered in Flemington, NJ. The company's services include traditional and web-based research. For additional information on HCD Research, access the company’s web site at www.hcdi.net or call HCD Research at 908-788-9393. MediaCurves.com® (www.mediacurves.com) is a media measurement website that provides the media and general public with a venue to view Americans’ perceptions of popular and controversial media events and advertisements.
I think he was sincere, but I dont trust the company with as many back to back problems as they have been having. I'm sure hes lost sales and felt he had to apologize. This is his company, I'm sure he's upset about it, I just don't want a part of it.
I think he appears sincere, but I have serious reservations about a company who ignored all of those warnings. Is he sincere because his name and company are now tarnished? Or is he sincere because people died from Toyota's actions?
It's a little odd to rate a non-native English speaker from another culture on an American scale of expectations and sincerity. Certainly in Japanese culture, his acts were quite contrite.
I think that the goverment is being to hard on them.
I am so sad, my next two vehicles would have been a Toyota Corolla and Toyota Sienna, we will now be looking almost exclusively at Honda.
Anyone can read off a piece of paper!
I feel that Toyota has been somewhat Audi'ed by a hysterical media. Given the (often mandated) complexities of today's vehicles, it's a miracle that more technical glitches don't occur.
by Deniz (Anonymous User)
on Friday, March 23, 2012 @ 11:04:05 PM (
#7474)
SubhaI am very sorry to write in English as I did not know how to get the text in Telugu script. I do not bnloeg to this generation. But as a mother of two sons (one in 9th grade and one in 4th grade) studying in Hyd during 1980-88 can authentically tell that the deterioration of teaching Telugu language in schools started from that time. I remember taking up my frustration by arguing with the teacher how hard it is getting for the children to learn Telugu as no constructive method in teaching the language was being applied. The teacher was an young woman of 25 years and appeared confused. May be the management thought that teaching Telugu was an easy one as it is the mother tongue of the children and that grammer is not that important. The language was taught with no foundation, so naturally reached a state of decay in 25 years. It is exactly the way they taught Hindi to me when I was in school. I used to dread Hindi classes as I was not able to comprehend the change of verbs with the gender. And naturally I forgot that language once I completed high school. Now the current generation is being taught Telugu the way they learnt it and naturally they lost interest in teaching it as they themselves do not enjoy the beauty of the language. I still remember my telugu teacher and we were enthusiastically waiting for his class explaning the alamkarams, samasams and chandassu. Finding the ganas and vrithams of the poems was a thrill. My first son who was in 9th grade did not hear about them at all! So we do not have to blame the current parents and teachers for the deterioration of standard in teaching Telugu. The basic problem started 30-35 years back and people are opening their eyes once the ruin is complete.
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on Saturday, March 24, 2012 @ 9:19:40 AM (
#7482)
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on Sunday, March 25, 2012 @ 4:24:05 PM (
#7500)
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on Sunday, March 25, 2012 @ 4:24:16 PM (
#7501)
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I understand they (Toyota) already knew about the trouble but did nothing. They were proud to have saved billions of dollars by doing nothing. Heard on the news a few days ago.
first time i had seen this~
i think that it obviously affects toyota drivers
as this wasn't done on purpose
but they should have fixed the problem the FIRST TIME around...
which, the reason they did not, therein lies the problem
Toyota needs to take financial responsibility for their greed. Also, they need to make sure that the man that was convict of manslaughter (I think in Detroit) and is currently serving time needs to have Toyota pay for his lawyer. Because they lied from the very start and their diagnostic software is defective in catching any software glitches. The man stated over and over that the car would not stop. SHAME ON TOYOTA.
I admire the man for personally attending the meeting and making the statements that he did as well as the actions that the company has taken to correct the problem. They grew too fast and I believe that they will take this issue and learn from it.
I feel that Toyota's apologies and stated intentions to correct the problems in their vehicles are sincere. However, I believe that Toyota was aware of the problems and elected not to respond to them in a timely manner. This has cost human lives, injured people, damaged vehicles and damaged the company's reputation. I will follow Toyota's actions carefully before considering the purchase of another Toyota vehicle. I have been a Toyota owner for over 30 years and currently drive a 22-year-old Toyota vehicle that has been dependable.
Toyota should never have allowed so many defects on vehicles to get to this point of a major recall. It really does indicate that testing and testing again was not done. I've always admired Toyota but my feeling and loyalty has certainly diminished.
I'M DISAPOINTED IN TOYOTA BUT THEY ARE BIG AND BIGGER YOU ARE THE HARDER YOU FALL. I THINK NO THAT EVERYTHING IS OUT IS THE OPEN, THEY WILL DO WHAT THEY MUST TO BRING CREDIBILITY BACK TO THEIR NAME
by Szymon (Anonymous User)
on Wednesday, January 23, 2013 @ 11:18:05 AM (
#8349)
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I didn't hear him apoligise to the death victums
I thnk that it wll take time to wn back the trust, of the manufacturer. Its gonna take tim also wn the trust of all people. Toyota hso prove itself all over again to the people that once trusted the toyota name.
Toyota could specifically explain in writing what corrections/modifications it took to resolve its recent problems.
Feel that the situation has been blown out of proportion regarding the recall. Other car companies have recalls all the time but Toyota is one of the very best companies from a sales point of view. Thus, it is getting unfair attention while poorer quality cars are being manufactured by other US companies.
i love their cars, they last forever. i dont have one, but sure would eventually like to get one, i drive a dodge and a chrysler, but they will not have as long as life. thank you
I'd like to know what Toyoda/Toyota is doing/going to do for those who have already suffered significantly from the failure of the cars.
I have always had a favorable view of Toyota and this recall situation has not changed my opinion at all. Toyota is not the first car company to recall autos for safety reasons and thy are not the first to hold out longer than they probably should to avoid panicking the masses. They will also not be the last.
These safety issues can be overcome if you are alert and prepared as a driver. I feel quite assured that if faced with a malfunction I could get myself to safety because I focus on driving, my car'sperformance, and the vehicles around me instead of my iPod, cell phone or screaming kids.
Toyota is a good company with a long track record of accomplishments. If I had the money I would buy a Prius tomorrow despite whatever hysteria is going on.
I'm really not sure about Toyoda's apology. I think he may have been sincere, but that's difficult to convey when he's reading from script in his second language.
Mr.Toyoda was direct and did not seem to be trying to use an overabundance of information or persuasion techniques to get his point across which I liked.
It may be the language and cultural barrier, but I would have liked the CEO, Mr. Toyota to have looked up from his prepared speech more often. If speaking English was a barrier, I would have preferred him to speak his own language from the heart and looked up at the camera and spoke directly to me, so to speak.
I feel that if people are going to make cars they should make sure there is nothing wrong with them before they go out to the consumers instead of waiting till the consumers have them to have a recall.
I agree apology was public relations ploy with little sincerity.
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