http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091226/BUSINESS/712269960/1052

"Toyota tried creating a clever snappy advertisement for its Yaris model through an online competition. The winning entry, an ad called Clean Getaway, was selected by popular choice. It was then endorsed by Toyota and its advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi, and then released to the public."

Unfortunately for Toyota the general public did not view it as clever or snappy, in fact they deemed the ad as being incestuous, downgrading and sexist. Toyota quickly reversed and pulled the ad. I can just imagine the embarrassing conversation taking place between the country head in Australia and headquarters in Japan. This was Toyota's first major foray into social media and the outcome left many skid marks.

"The indisputable fact is that if you get it right and spend time to really understand and appreciate the online audiences out there, there are tangible opportunities," says Lee Mancini of the social media marketing company Sekari.