We’ve covered many competitions and initiatives from brands that have taken a philanthropic approach but Toyota are surely miles ahead (pun intended) of the pack after an impressive charitable campaign that benefited their brand in the long run.
Wanting to do good for the community, Toyota decided to gave away 100 new cars to causes that would benefit the most if they had them; creating the ’100 Cars For Good’ program.
The public were allowed to vote for a cause they felt was the most deserving every day during the month of August. The contest was launched in March 2011 with more than 3,000 different applicants entering for the chance to win a new Toyota.
The applicants were then reduced to 500 finalists by an independent panel of judges where they then submitted online profiles to encourage friends and supporters to vote for them. Voting took place on the Toyota USA Facebook page where users had to like the competition first before being able to vote.
Winning organizations were allowed to choose from six different Toyota models which come with a six-year, 100,000-mile Vehicle Service Agreement to provide extended protection beyond the vehicle’s warranty. Those organisations who were unsuccessful in the voting received a $1,000 donation to help them.
The winners spanned several categories including human services, animal welfare, health and safety, supporting veterans and protecting victims of abuse. These organisations were based all across America including New Jersey, Texas and California.
The Toyota Facebook page now has nearly 527,000 fans and its safe to say that it gained a significant number from family, friends and supporters wanting to make their chosen group the winners. It also got people talking about the competition and mentioning the brand meaning significant publicity for Toyota.
Source: SImplyzesty.com
