Honda takes a page from Toyota’s book with new Kaizen-oriented commercials

While Japanese auto manufacturer Toyota was the originator of the Kaizen work practices and philosophies, its leading competitor, Honda, is now looking to stress the importance of continuous improvement with a new series of advertisements.

The campaign highlights Honda's penchant for innovation and continued evolution, regardless of the products and services being made. The commercial shows a variety of vehicles produced by Honda over the years, ranging from the company's staple sedan, the Civic, to unique hover vehicles, The message Honda is trying to send is that its belief in continuous improvement exists in everything, from design and production to the finished product.

“We wanted to not only showcase Honda's latest example of [its innovation philosophy], but embrace the other…dreamers and doers out there who share our way of thinking,” said Jason Sperling, the senior vice president of Honda's ad agency, RPA, told MediaPost.

Kaizen may best be known for its use in manufacturing practices, but it can also be used in other ways, whether it's personal development or product design.