Toto’s Target Market

Price is one of the most important factor in the marketing of any product. There is a secret behind every successful company because they only grow because of the successful pricing strategy which a customer prefers easily. There are several marketing strategy that a company follows like premium pricing, price skimming, pricing on the basis of market penetration, psychological pricing and many more. When it comes to the brand Toto, the brand itself reflect lush and luxury. So it follows the premium pricing strategy by providing premium pricing range to its customers. Moreover, Toto focuses higher and luxury segments of people, it does not compete with other brands because other brands basically tends to maintain mass market by designing the product in such a manner that is less expensive i.e. they focus obtaining price penetration strategy. But, Toto products are expensive, so they targets people with higher incomes or those who have fine and good taste and preference in furniture i.e. they focus on price skimming strategy where prices are kept high at first and then they are reduced later . Those people can maintain the class and dignity of the brand. These can be either single male or single female because they prefer to invest maximum of their investments in luxury products that helps them to maintain their status and build a repo in the society.

The average price of the product (Aquia I Dual Flush and Aquia II Dual Flush) that Toto offers is $526 whereas the highest price it offers is $686 and the lowest price Toto offers is $457 which is not very affordable for a medium range of people (Paper due, 2009). Toto offers high end products and satisfies its customers with a high confidence level. Similarly, the lowest price for the Aquia III Dual Flush is $588. Since the prices are too high, Catalan customers cannot afford such higher prices because it doesn’t match with the income earned by them. The company cannot decrease its price below its value because at the end it have to bear the production cost. So, the individual with a huge income level and who lives single can afford such brands to maintain their image. In addition, rather than reducing price of the product, they can focus on other different aspects like free installation, free transportation, long warranty period and many more which also plays an important factor to attract customers. People who live single with higher income tends to buy luxury products so they can easily afford Toto brand and their products (De Mooij, 2013).

Toto’s Pricing Strategy

Taking the example of Australian market, the lifestyle of Austrians is very sound and the income range is also high where they basically prefer high end quality products. Single male or female living there earns a lot and they need not to spend their investment in families rather than they would refer to spend on luxury products that would reflect lush and luxury.

So, it can be highly recommended that the Toto should target more on the single males and females who has a higher range of income level and those who prefer high end quality products keeping pricing factor aside.

Product plays a very vital role in the marketing mix strategy which can be defined as the item purchased to satisfy the need of a certain people. It can be obtained in any form i.e. either in terms of services or in terms of goods and it can be any form like tangible or intangible as well. So, when a person buys the product, he/she must be sure to buy the right product with the right amount paid for it. The product purchased should be worthy in terms of market demand. Now, when it comes to the brand ‘Toto’, the products offered by them are in huge varieties but it basically focuses on toilets and bidets (Smith, 2016).

Toto has developed a new strategy ‘redefine clean’ where customers are urged to maintain personal hygiene by involving themselves in different campaign. It manufactures those products which can be easily built at home and are ecofriendly as well. Since, Toto focuses on single males and females, they will definitely prefer luxury bathroom at their home which will identify their image and goodwill in the society (Lenka, 2010). So keeping these factors into consideration, Toto offers provides easy to use products. Hence, Toto targets on delivering ‘clean products’ it should work on delivering the ‘green products’ to the customers where their products manufactured will not create any hazardous effects on the environment.  Toto is continually focusing on creating such designs which will reduce the contribution of CO2 and increase the energy savings (Toyosada, 2012). For this, Toto has remolded their products in such a way that it provide high comfort and higher freedom. It has manufactured its infrastructure in such a manner that it creates lush and comfort. It has also provided easiness in installation of its products which has reduced design sophistication as well by standardizing its different parts of products.

Toto’s Products

When it comes to single male or female in urban areas, they are more product oriented rather than focusing on price. They focuses on quality of the product. Toto provides several additional features so that the people with luxury segments will find new ways to get their products at their home.

Promotion helps to boost and enhance brand sales and image in the minds of customers. It includes several elements like sales promotion, public relation, advertising and sales organizations. A company can advertise itself on different media like television, print media, radio, social media and many more.

Toto has launched many advertising campaign which includes several promotional activities and makes the customers aware about its existing products and innovations in the new products. Their new promotional strategy has helped them to create hygiene and cleanliness in the minds of Australians which motivates them to switch from outdated technology to new and modern approaches (Borin,2013). Toto generally advertise itself on social media, television and digital media. Toto’s commercial can also be easily found on you tube channels and moreover totos are also focused on maintaining a strong relationship between customers and the service providers because their feedbacks are taken into highest priority. Customers are free to post their experience and share with other people (Cision, 2016).

Toto also believes in empowering CSR activities i.e. corporate social responsibilities where they will promote ESG i.e. environment, society and governance activities in corporates. It also focuses on creating and maintaining an ecofriendly environment where it provides zero industrial accidents and occupational illness as well (Toto, 2013).  Since, Toto target market is single males and females, it also focuses on advertising and organizing campaign that will target those specific age group with specific genders. Toto believes in targeting customers using several advertising campaign where the customers are highly satisfied with the products offered by the company. It also offers clearance sale and discount offers where their products are sold at a lower price (Toto, 2018).

Thus, it can be recommended that being a reputed and a luxury brand, it should organize maximum number of campaigns and discover the demands of the single males and females who have a higher range of income.

Conclusion

From the above given statements, it can be concluded that Toto is a very well-known brand which offers varieties of products in bathroom fixtures and fittings. It manufactures its products in such a way that it can easily fulfill the need, luxury, comfort, beauty and performance. It serves easy to use products that helps an individual to serve the quality of life and meet their expectations. In the given marketing strategy opted by Toto, product, price and promotion has played the major role while targeting the single males and females in the urban market. Toto needs to work hard on maintaining a strong relationship between customers and service providers where customers are free to post their experiences and they are also taken into consideration as well.

Since, Toto should focus on maintaining ecofriendly environment where it will serve green environment to the customers with innovations in their existing products, by delivering quality, beauty, comfort and luxury. Similarly, Toto also makes sure that the products delivered to their customers should regain maximum satisfaction and positive feedback as well. Totos carries safety and efforts related to health with every of its promotional strategy where safety plays the most important factor because safety of their customers will automatically generate customers satisfaction and their interest too. 

Reference List. 

Borin, N., Lindsey-Mullikin, J. and Krishnan, R., 2013. An analysis of consumer reactions to green strategies. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 22(2), pp.118-128.

Cision, 2016, TOTO Launches a New Wash let Advertising Campaign, viewed on 15^th January, 2018. Available on:  https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/toto-launches-a-new-washlet-advertising-campaign-300372668.html

De Mooij, M., 2013, Global marketing and advertising: Understanding cultural paradoxes. Sage Publications.

Lenka, U., Suar, D. and Mohapatra, P.K., 2010. Soft and hard aspects of quality management practices influencing service quality and customer satisfaction in manufacturing-oriented services. Global Business Review, 11(1), pp.79-101.

Paper due, 2009, ‘Marketing Toto brand high efficiency’, viewed on: 12^th January, 2018. Available on: https://www.paperdue.com/essay/marketing-toto-brand-high-efficiency-22797

Shimizu, Y., Dejima, S. and Toyosada, K., 2012. The CO2 emission factor of water in Japan. Water, 4(4), pp.759-769.

Smith J, 2016, Introducing Mizudori Gallery – The TOTO experts, viewed on 15^th January, 2018. Available at: https://www.houseofhome.com.au/blog/mizudori-gallery

TOTO Corporate Report, 2009, TOTO Company.

Toto, 2013, Toto corporate report, viewed on 15^th January, 2018. Available on: https://jp.toto.com/en/company/profile/library/pdf/report2013_en.pdf

Toto, 2018, Toto group policy, viewed on 15^th January, 2018. Available on: https://jp.toto.com/en/company/profile/philosophy/policy/index.htm

Toyosada, K., Shimizu, Y., Dejima, S., Yoshitaka, M. and Sakaue, K., 2012, August. Evaluation of the potential of CO2 emission reduction achieved by using water-efficient housing equipment in Dalian, China. In Proceedings of the 38th International Symposium of CIB W062 on Water Supply and Drainage for Buildings, Edinburgh, UK (pp. 27-30).