Unhappy with the negative impression surrounding the Tokyo Olympics (Olympics) and worried about its image, Toyota decided, Monday, July 19, not to broadcast any advertising on the theme of the Olympics on television during the competitions. Its CEO, Akio Toyoda, heir to the founding family of the first Japanese car manufacturer, will not attend the opening ceremony.
The announcement surprised because, since 2015, Toyota has been a major partner of the International Olympic Committee, the IOC. The group signed a contract worth an estimated $ 1 billion (850 million euros) for ten years, becoming the first car manufacturer to make a commitment at this level with the Lausanne organization.
It was heavily involved in the preparations for the Tokyo Games, supplying 3,340 vehicles, electric and hydrogen, for the transport of athletes and staff, and a whole series of service robots deployed at various venues. At the same time, Toyota is supporting nearly 200 Olympic and Paralympic athletes, including swimmer Takeshi Kawamoto and softball player Miu Goto.
Social networks
His decision testifies to growing embarrassment. “There are a lot of problems, sometimes difficult to grasp”, said Jun Nagata, the manufacturer’s communications director.
This embarrassment goes back several months. In May, when opposition to the Games reached its peak, with 80% of those polled in the polls saying they were in favor of a postponement or a cancellation, the group was already worried about the reactions of the population who called on the athletes to that they vote against the holding of the Olympics.
“As a partner, we are saddened to see that the concern of some people is directed towards the athletes. We sincerely hope that all athletes and all those involved can host the Tokyo Games without worry ”, declared, on May 12, Mr. Nagata, during the presentation of the results of the company.
The concern of the group only grew with the discovery of the reactions on social networks. According to a study of the economic daily Nihon keizai, negative tweets containing the words “Olympics” and “Toyota” outnumbered positive tweets containing these words at the beginning of July.