The Toyota Scent Marketing Case

Anybody would assume that Toyota needs not worry about how to create a brand identity. Founded in 1937 in Toyota City, Japan, the automotive manufacturer was able to build brand awareness through years of delivering consistent quality. “Built to last, created to perform and designed for life” is the spirit driving the company forward from the beginning. The Toyota Way was developed as a clever brand management philosophy to improve efficiency and maintain their promised standards. This definitely helped to enhance brand image and improve customer satisfaction, consolidating the reputation of the brand in the minds of the global population. Then why did Toyota come to Scent Australia looking to expand their brand recognition strategies?

Let us remind you what is brand identity or brand image. The perception of a brand in the mind of a customer is brand image and brand identity are the visible elements that distinguish it. Scent marketing brings a new player into the game. Implementing new brand identity ideas such as customized aromas to craft a fresh brand image responds to a need for innovation in today’s dynamic markets. Toyota’s initiative to rely on our services to cultivate brand awareness from a different angle had rewarding results. 

Scent marketing is based on the idea that a fragrance can improve customer experience and satisfaction. Aromas have a proven impact on our emotions, and can even influence our behaviors. Toyota was wondering how to strengthen brand identity to remain current in an ever-changing world. They wanted to make people feel comfortable to honor the Japanese tradition of looking after guests wholeheartedly, known as omotenashi. The brand strategy of appealing to the senses to enhance customer satisfaction suits the Japanese unique art of hospitality. 

Our client’s operational plan was to test the scent first in Toyota Chadstone. The significant transformation seen within the dealership exceeded their expectations. The fragrance quickly became a part of their brand identity. Not only was brand recall increased, but customers would also continuously inquire about how to bring their scent home. Soon, our commercial medium diffusers were installed in every store across Melbourne. 

The streets of Japan, whether in the city or a remote village, are scented with a variety of smells. Food, incense and flowered trees trigger timeless reminiscences. Now Toyota is using two of our scents in their dealerships: Concerto, and White Tea & Ginger Flowers. The former is a highly seductive fragrance, inspired by summer fruits and soft music that might as well be emanating from an underground jazz club in Tokyo. An exotic stimulation to the senses, equally as exciting as walking around this beautifully chaotic city. The latter combines the freshness of ginger, widely available in opulent sushi plates, and the sensual White Tea sipped on a bench in a Japanese garden.