In response to Deanna's question

Do you think toyota can ever make it back on top again, where their standings once were? Would you ever buy a toyota since the recall problem?

I'am very dissapointed that toyota tried to cut corners and in the end dug themselves into a hole. It seemed like every week the news would release something else that went wrong with toyota and every week brought out a new issue with the vehicles. If toyota had been more honest in the from start then they may be more trusted but as of now I definitely wouldn't buy from them. I know it is mostly the newer models that are having all the issues. The older ones seem to last forever and are still in great shape.
I remember looking for cars and finding the 1998 toyota corolla in the news paper. I wanted it so bad and heard tons of great things about them including how long they last. That is still true to this day but the newer models have cost people their lives. Toyota has lost their cedibility to me but that isn't true for everyone. I know a ton a people who own toyotas including my friends and family. My father and grandmother own one but haven't had any problems because theirs are 2000-2003 models. Toyota should have just should have dealt with thier big problem from the start rather then try to cover it up because in the end the truth comes out and in this case made it even worse for them.
Will the company ever make it back to the top again? Sure they could make it to the top again but it will take a ton of work. They have to flip their customers and future customers attitude towards them right around if they have hope in saving the company. They need to be honest and try to rebuild their customer trust. I'm not saying this will happen any time soon or at all, but if it does it will take toyota years and years and years to rebuild their name. Now whenever I hear toyota I associate it will a company thats in trouble and the company whose cars aren't safe.
Do you feel as though people are going to buy a toyota car even after hearing about them in the news? Or will people start buying from other car companies such as nissan or ford? How about nissan and fords car sales compared to toyota, do you believe they have gone up since all of toyotas issues were released? Or are people still buying the older versions of toyota and staying away from the newer ones?

Branding

What is a brand? A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that identifies one marketer's product as distinct from those of other marketers. A brand name is the part of a brand that can be spoken (including words, letters and numbers) such as nike. With out a brand name a firm couldn't differentiate between products. When I go to a grocery store I typically buy the same name brands for all my products. Why do I do this? I do this because I know that to expect from them. I've used the same name brand product for years so I know I'm going to like it where as if I start buying a brand I've never tried before, who knows if I'm going to like it. So then I decide to go with the product I know and trust. This then leads us into brand loyalty.
I don't know about other people out there but what I do know is that I'am totally guilty of brand loyalty. Brand loyalty is when a customer has a favorable attitude toward a specific brand. Whenever I go out and buy a product I tend to get the same brand unless there is a really good deal going on. I do this because I know what to expect from this particular brand where as an unknown brand is unframiliar to me. I don't want to buy this brand if I'm not going to like it and then have to buy what I typically do,even if this different new brand is a few dollars cheeper. Most people stick to what they know. For me I always buy dove soap. I grew up with my mom always buying it so now I buy it even though there are a ton of different soaps out there. I know that I like dove soap and know what to expect from it therefore I will continue to buy it. This is brand loyalty because no matter where I go to buy soap, I always look for the dove brand of it.
What do you think about brand loyalty? Are you guilty of it as well? Do you think people typically stick to using the same brands? Or do they not care and look for what's the cheapest? How does price relate to branding?