CASE Study: Toyota / Yaris / Automotive & cultural segmentation

Finding a distinct cultural position

scenarioDNA used Culture Mapping to help Toyota give Yaris a position distinct from Scion. The segmentation connected Yaris with gamers, creating a different cultural direction from the car-tuning communities in which its sister brand was thriving.

The question: How can two brands occupy different cultural spaces?

As Toyota prepared to launch Yaris, Scion already had a strong position among car tuners. Yaris needed an identity of its own within the portfolio. The task was to identify a cultural audience that could provide a distinct basis for positioning.

The research: Looking beyond a shared product category

Culture Mapping identified gamers as a positioning territory for Yaris. This provided a different cultural reference point from Scion’s connection with car tuners, allowing the brands to be understood through the communities and interests around them.

The application: Differentiation within the Toyota portfolio

The segmentation gave Yaris a distinct positioning direction and helped address the risk of overlap with Scion. The contribution was a cultural basis for differentiation: a way to distinguish the brands through audience meaning as well as the vehicles themselves.

Explore our approach: Culture Mapping · Cultural Research & Intelligence