Consumer confidence in Toyota is definitely at a pivotal point. First, the floor mats. Next the sticky accelerators – linked to 19 deaths. Then, with the promise of a “fix” on the horizon, Toyota announced last week that there is a problem with the Prius’s brake system. Where does it end?

Some think that the Toyota brand is done – that they should throw in the towel and start anew. After the contamination issue in 1982, Johnson & Johnson had to repair the Tylenol brand, but no need to scrap it all together. Neither did Firestone or Exxon after their respective catastrophes. Toyota’s major problem, aside from the obvious engineering flaw, in my opinion is the mixed messages being disseminated, further fueling consumer anxiety. Drive. . .Don’t drive. . .It’s electrical. . .It’s mechanical. . .We know. . . We don’t know. . . Get your message straight! This lack of clarity is just further aggravating an already fragile situation.

To a certain extent, loyal patrons are forgiving and would be willing to trust Toyota again. But when is enough, finally enough? As a Camry driver myself, I am waiting (and waiting. . .and waiting) to see if the company can pull a U-turn and boost my confidence or if the crisis will continue to go down hill.

If you were in the driver’s seat of Toyota’s messaging during this fiasco, would you have done anything differently?

Photo credit: Robert Vinet

Since the rejection, the company has received an enormous amount of publicity. Stories in news outlets, blogs, television and radio have created discussions in numerous public forums. This just adds value to the nearly $3 million price tag CBS is charging for a 30-second spot.

But why the uproar? Controversial subject matter always strikes a chord and advocates on both sides of an issue will make their voices heard. In fact, it was reported that CBS believed ManCrunch submitted an ad they knew would be rejected in an effort to generate free publicity. ManCruch denies the accusation.

And while ManCrunch is receiving a fair amount of free publicity, are they better off? As of today, the ManCrunch commercial on YouTube.com has been viewed more than 400,000 times. Last year, Wikipedia reported that the Super Bowl was watched by 93.2 million people. Would the aired ManCrunch television commercial create the same level of conversation? Would the controversy have as much value without social media?

Apparently, I had won some contest I had entered online, and this was the prize. As a products “junkie,” I was excited to open all the testers and flip through the marketing materials. The pamphlet directed me to the company web site, so I immediately logged on to the computer to check it out. (Yes, a marketer’s dream … I’m “one of those people.”)

Almost an hour later, I had read through pretty much the whole site and made a list of stuff I wanted to try. The only thing I was disappointed in was their blog section, which hadn’t been updated since February … and the one before that was September 2008!

This got me thinking … what were the missed opportunities here? What if their blog was updated frequently? I would have subscribed – a weekly, if not daily, reminder of their products. Perhaps I would have followed them on Twitter, too. The point is: Their contest was a success. I learned about their products, and I intend to buy … and how much did it cost them? A few samples and a dollar in postage? But how much further could they have gone?

That said, at least I’m thinking about their products. And blogging about them, too.

“A brand is no longer what we tell the consumer it is; it is what the consumers tell each other it is.”

Here’s the thing: Has defining a brand ever been as simple as what a company says?

At Costa DeVault, we’ve been in the “branding business” for more than two decades. But, we’re constantly reminding our clients that a brand isn’t a logo … or a tagline … or a piece of collateral. Those are tools that convey your brand.

A brand is the perception formed by your audiences about your company and/or product. That definition remains as true today as it was 20 years ago. Social media doesn’t change the definition. But, social media does offer a new set of tools that companies can leverage to help influence public perception. Companies that embrace social media can engage stakeholders and shape their perceptions.

No matter how many new tools are introduced to the marketplace, it’s important to remember that old adage, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” A brand is still a brand — defined by public perception, not corporate speak.

Well, that’s just another concept that has evolved, thanks to flourishing online communities. As David Armano wrote in Business Week, marketers can listen, learn and adapt … thanks to new focus groups.

By listening and engaging the “collective” through all phases of our initiatives, we now have opportunities not only to be more in tune with customer needs, but also to adapt as quickly as they do. In our digital world, that could be the most important ROI possible.

The game has changed. We don’t have to wait — in fact, you shouldn’t wait — until the end of a campaign to see how it worked. Instead, gain valuable insight during the implementation phase and adjust as needed to maximize effectiveness.

Springpad — a free online list-making and notebook service — engaged the Twitter community to conduct an online focus group. The Springpad moderator asked four questions, mainly focusing on service use and user interface. Springpad users offered their feedback and input, and the moderator asked follow up questions — much like a typical focus group. While the results aren’t scientific, Springpad received valuable feedback, such as:

The moderator also engaged participants in conversation — and showed that the company is open to ideas, as illustrated by this exchange:

This new “I” — insight gained from listening to online communities — will help marketers make better decisions and ultimately deliver a stronger product. They’ll get more bang for their buck — which is critically important during this challenging economy. In this ultra-competitive marketing landscape, the winners will be those companies that understand how to incorporate insight to strengthen the return on investment.

“Grown Up Digital: How the Net Generation Is Changing Your World” by Don Tapscott challenges many of the stereotypes about millennials (those currently between 11 and 31 years of age). What I was most interested in was confirming what our staff has come to believe is an inevitable shift in our industry: that the interest in social media as the latest tool in communications was not a passing trend, but rather the way it is and will be in the future.

The most compelling case for this position came from Tapscott’s analysis of population and the Baby Boom Generation. There are now 77 million Baby Boomers, born 1946 to 1964, making up 23 percent of the U.S. population. Net Geners, or millenials, consist of approximately 81 million people born from 1977 to 1997, and currently make up 27 percent of the US population. This echoing effect, as it has come to be described, represents the largest swell in population in our nation’s history, and it stands to reason that what interests them is going to impact the way we do everything.

Tapscott points out that where Boomers passively watched television in their free time, Net Geners have grown up with the Internet – interacting and changing content and incorporating online tools into their lives. His look into Net Geners’ interests and tendencies, further reinforces a very different set of expectations – not only of themselves, but also of the brands they chose to align with. Some companies have taken notice and incorporated this change into their online brands and tools that speak to their customers. Many have not and are hoping it’s just a fad. If they’re wrong – it is going to take them a long time to catch up.

Have you seen the infamous ad? Motrin took it down, but it lives on – thanks to YouTube.

Much has already been written about the controversy from business experts … to social media gurus … to parenting experts. But, there are some important lessons worth pointing out:

We aren’t a Monday through Friday, 9 to 5 society. Bloggers and Tweeters don’t stop talking on the weekends … so companies can’t stop listening. Thanks to today’s always on, always connected lifestyle, marketing communications folks – from the bottom up – are never truly “off the clock.”

Companies big and small need to pay attention to Twitter. The Motrin ad went up on Saturday. Mommy-bloggers went to work almost instantly, and by Sunday, the controversy was so out of hand that Motrin pulled the ad. And, the company’s web site was still down until Monday around 1:15 p.m. Does anyone still question the power of Twitter?

You get what you wish for. Creative marketing departments everywhere try to come up with a buzz-worthy viral campaign. Who wouldn’t want to be the next BlenTec? But, be warned. As Motrin would likely tell you today, becoming an overnight sensation for the wrong reasons – like offending moms everywhere – is not good for business. Make sure your zest for generating a buzz doesn’t overtake your common sense.

Just look at the recent New York Times article – crystallizing this young generation’s ability to shape their parents’ decisions. In family after family, children played the role of “eco-police,” ultimately convincing their parents to purchase more fuel-efficient cars, compact fluorescent light bulbs and even solar panels.

The greening of America is not a passing trend. In fact, protecting the environment is mission-critical for today’s kids. And, parents are responding to their message. According to a recent study, 92% of adults have a more positive view of a company that supports a cause they care about, and 87% said they are likely to switch from one brand to another if the other brand is associated with a good cause. For a large percentage of households, environmental issues top the list of causes to care about.

So, now what? Companies need to take a two-pronged approach. First, they must identify strategies to become more green (if they haven’t already). Second, they need to communicate their eco-friendliness in a manner that will pique the attention of young people. Incorporate words and graphics that “speak” to kids and teens and use modes of communication that reach young people.

The bottom line: Children are driving purchasing decisions … and they’re insisting that their parents go green. How does your company adapt to this market shift?