Toyota launches new campaign for spruced up Qualis

Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKML) has launched a new advertising campaign to announce the launch of the spruced up version of its multi-utility vehicle (MUV) Qualis. The campaign, straddling print and television, broke earlier this week.

In its new advertising, TKML plans to focus more on the brand's features than on its price. Explaining the reworked advertising strategy of the Qualis, Sandeep Singh, general manger, marketing, TKML, says, "The focus of the communication is on style, elegance and courtesy. The base line ‘My Luxury' sums it up well. With the new Qualis we are addressing the emerging needs of the customer." Interestingly, the campaign is a combined effort of Orchard Advertising, Chennai, and the Japan-based Dentsu.

The company has major expectations from the new Qualis, which has been launched in two engine variants - RZ-E (petrol, 1998-cc) and the economical 2L (diesel, 2446-cc). The petrol version is positioned at the top end of the MUV segment. It is a seven-seater sporting a price tag of Rs 8.5 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). The diesel version has two models - the GS model which is an eight-seater and the FS model which is a 10-seater. While the GS model is priced at Rs 8 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) the FS model is available for Rs 6 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). The company has launched a fleet model too, which is a complete stripped down version of the new Qualis, for Rs 5.17 lakh.

Talking about the company's decision to launch Qualis in its new avatar, Sachio Yamazaki, managing director, TKML, says, "It was time to redefine the existing standards. Based on the valuable feedback from our customers and dealers over the past two years, the new Qualis has been designed with exquisite style and comfort. Now Toyota's world-renowned quality will come to consumers at total value for money."

Adds Shozo Hasebe, general manager, Toyota Motor Corporation, "We are confident of gaining a larger share in the Indian MUV market segment with this launch." Besides Toyota (Qualis), the bigger players in this segment are Telco (Tata Sumo and Safari), Maruti Udyog (Versa) and Mahindra & Mahindra (Bolero and Scorpio), which together sell around 75,000 to 80,000 units (2001). Qualis, TKML claims, leads the market with a 40 per cent share.

Alongside, the company is working at launching two more products from the Toyota stable. Its luxury car Camry will hit the Indian roads in November this year, followed by the Corolla next year. © 2002 agencyfaqs!