Amelia F. Jackson

Canon used the slogan “Image is everything” in a 1990 camera commercial featuring tennis star Andre Agassi. Thirty years later, how much of this statement is true today? Does image really influence our purchase decision?

Apparently it does.

In the past few months, we have seen companies and brands such as Toyota, Tiger Woods, and Goldman Sachs try to restore their images after a big scandal or controversy. They along with the millions of companies and brands know that image is tied to the consumer perception. If the consumer has to choose between two products that provide the same benefit, the consumer will pick the one that is more reliable with higher quality.

Do we really know if a product is reliable and have a high quality before we buy it? No we do not, but this is why companies spend millions of dollars in advertising to persuade us that it does.

Image equates to consumer perception. Image is responsible for conveying corporate ideals and brand messages to the consumer. Once an image is tarnished, the chances are greater a consumer switches to a competitor. I found this to be true when a friend recently decided to purchase a new car. Unfortunately, due to the safety issues that have plagued the media about Toyota cars, my friend chose to purchase a Nissan instead. The fear that he may fall victim of the same fate that some Toyota drivers have experienced, discouraged him from buying their product.

Just think of how many other potential customers changed their minds for the same reason. If I was placed in the same situation, I probably would have done the same. Based by Bloomberg polls, 4 out of 10 Americans say they would definitely not buy a Toyota. Toyota dropped from 1 to 6 in a perceived quality study completed by Automotive Lease Guide.

In an overcrowded market, the core strategy of a company is differentiation. They must prove they are a better alternative. A company’s image is the reflection of its character. That image can help them flourish or slowly destroy them. Toyota along with other companies has learned that difficult lesson.

Do you feel differently about a company like Toyota that has been involved in a scandal?

Photograph Credit:

Sabrina Segal