Toyota’s Dominance in the Australian Car Advertising Space
By Susannah Guthrie
The companies that spent the most on advertising in Australia last year have been revealed, and new data from analytics company Nielsen shows only one car brand made the top 20. Automotive giant Toyota ranks 14th in Nielsen Ad Intel’s Top 20 Advertisers of 2023 list—just behind tech giant Apple in 13th place, but ahead of department store Myer in 15th place.
According to a report from the industry site Mi3, Australian car companies collectively spent $661 million on advertising in 2023. However, the only other car-related company in the top 20 was ride-sharing and food delivery company Uber, which ranked 19th for advertising spend. With his ‘Oh, what a feeling!’ slogan, Toyota remains Australia’s most popular carmaker and led the country’s sales race for the 21st consecutive year in 2023.
Toyota’s popular HiLux ute was dethroned as Australia’s best-selling vehicle for the first time in seven years by its old rival, the Ford Ranger. While a collective spend of $661 million is no small expense, it pales in comparison to the amount a single-car brand will spend on advertising in markets such as the United States, where the average cost of a 30-second ad break during the Super Bowl is reported to be $7 million.
Despite initially saying it would refrain from airing a commercial during the 2024 NFL championship, Toyota reportedly turned backwards about that decision in recent weeks and announced that it planned to air an ad for its Tacoma ute.
Three other car brands are currently confirmed to air commercials during this year’s game, including BMW, Volkswagen and Kia. Many of the larger car manufacturers that operate internationally take the opportunity to roll out ads during the Super Bowl, which has traditionally been a crucial moment for companies to engage with an enormous audience.
Toyota’s spending reflects the brand’s continued investment in marketing its products and maintaining its position in a crowded and competitive automotive market in Australia. The success of the Toyota brand in the country has been further underscored by its push to into the electric vehicle market, with the launch of its new electric cars gaining significant attention.
This announcement comes during a tumultuous time for the automotive industry, which has faced disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the shift towards electric and sustainable vehicles. Despite these challenges, Toyota continues to invest heavily in advertising, reaffirming its commitment to maintaining its prominence in the sector.
The continued strength of the automotive brand underscores the company’s ability to reach its target audience effectively while maintaining its position as the market leader. It is clear that Toyota is investing in its advertising to remain at the forefront of consumers’ minds despite growing competition.
However, the spending of Toyota and other car manufacturers also has wider repercussions for the Australian economy, as it provides a significant boost to the advertising and media sectors. Given the hefty advertising spend from Toyota, we can expect companies in these sectors to have a strong year and possibly invest in new services and offerings.
In conclusion, Toyota’s dominance in the Australian advertising space reaffirms the company’s ability to maintain its position and engage with its target market effectively.
Susannah Guthrie has been a journalist for over a decade, covering everything from world news to fashion, entertainment, health and now cars. Having previously worked on titles including The New Daily, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, People Magazine and Cosmopolitan, Susannah now enjoys testing family cars with the help of her husband and her two-year-old son. If you want to read more about Susannah Guthrie, you can do so [here](https://www.drive.com.au/about-drive/our-journalists/susannah-guthrie/).
