Prius ad joke angers Fresno

[Justin Bimmer]

Here is the ad:

Prius Ad about Fresno HERE

This is from the Fresno Bee

http://www.fresnobee.com/263/story/188063.html

Toyota isn't getting a lot of mileage out of a new ad campaign for its fuel-efficient Prius -- at least not in Fresno.

The commercial, which implies that you would only stop here if you were low on gas, is sparking rebukes from Central Valley residents, city officials and even U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein.

And now Toyota is issuing a recall for the TV spot, which the company admits was ill conceived.

"I did not like it one bit," said Fresno Mayor Alan Autry, who complained to Feinstein's office, prompting a "scathing" missive from the senator to Toyota officials.

The ad, created by Atlanta-based 22Squared for Toyota dealers in the Southeast U.S., could be viewed Friday on the Internet Web site YouTube.

It depicts two people in a Prius "in the future," where "gas stations will become nothing more than low-budget tourist stops. Like ghost towns ... or Fresno."

Feinstein's letter to Shige Hayakawa, president of Toyota North America, expresses "profound disappointment with the current Toyota Prius advertising campaign which gratuitously insults the city of Fresno."

That prompted Irving A. Miller, group vice president for Toyota corporate communications, to issue an apology Friday "to the great city of Fresno for this commercial."

He said the commercial was "edited overnight to remove any reference to Fresno and we have implemented a series of controls that will allow us to monitor future local advertising to prevent this type of error from occurring."

Autry has his view of why the ad agency would pick on Fresno.

"These folks really don't have a lot of creativity," he said. Singling out the city is something that "just rears up every now and then.

"We may not have a bay or a beach, but if you're looking for a place to raise a family, Fresno doesn't have a peer."

City Council Member Mike Dages thinks taking shots at Fresno goes all the way back to the early 1980s, when then-Mayor Dan Whitehurst went on a late-night television show and made a number of self-deprecating remarks about the city.

"Perception is a tough thing to get rid of," he said.

"But I don't know how many people from Fresno are going to buy a Prius. Agencies should know better than that."

Council Member Jerry Duncan also sent a letter of complaint to the Toyota chief.

"Enough," he said. "We're tired of it."

Council Member Henry T. Perea joked that perhaps the whole thing was a geographical error.

"Maybe they're talking about Fresno, Texas," he said.

He added: "It's important for Fresno to push a progressive agenda and those types of things will be a thing of the past.

"I will forgive Toyota if they locate a Prius factory here."

[Justin Bimmer]

I live in Fresno and this was in the newspaper this morning.

Just another reason why I will not be buying anything Toyota in the near future.

I mean, yeah we sometimes deserve to be poked fun at with Bubba from "In the Heat of the Night" as our mayor and Donald Trump wanting to build a golf course here, but we NOT a pit stop.

(Especially since we are the largest city in America NOT ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY)

[deftonesfan867]

Toyota just becomes even dumber with every passing day.

[regfootball]

in fairness, can't some people take a joke?

people are a bunch of wussies. this PC crap is out of control.

[gm4life]

I thought it was funny, and was upset they portaryed the farmer as a hick and the guy at the gas station as a hick too.

[Justin Bimmer]

in fairness, can't some people take a joke?

people are a bunch of wussies. this PC crap is out of control.

So uh, where do you live?

There was no reason to single out a city as being an inadequate part of our future because that is exactly what the prius ad is portraying. On top of that, they didn't even have the guts to air it here so that we could see them singling us out so that we could make the decision to not buy their cars anymore because they think that the City of Fresno is inadequate. Yeah, it's ok to poke fun at Fresno in certain situations but this was just cruel.

Besides making fun of Fresno went out with the 80s like TJ Hooker.

[bobo]

The gratuitous reference to Fresno is due to either laziness on the part of the ad agency (is that the most creative thing they could think of?) or a ticket for free publicity when the inevitable cries of protest occur. Either way, this reflects badly on both Toyota and the ad agency.

[EMan]

Didn't Toyota considered building a factory in Fresno, CA a few years ago?

[vonVeezelsnider]

Ah Cripes, Toyota.... You're not going to become the super All American Auto Conglomerate by making sardonic remarks about certain cities .

[Intrepidation]

The farting cows were funny. The whole commercial was amusing, the people at Fresno and everyone in general need to learn to lighten up and laugh once in a while.

[Justin Bimmer]

Didn't Toyota considered building a factory in Fresno, CA a few years ago?

No, that was just one of our councilmembers being a smart ass.

We have a gap distribution center here which is the most recent major corporation investment.

[Justin Bimmer]

The farting cows were funny. The whole commercial was amusing, the people at Fresno and everyone in general need to learn to lighten up and laugh once in a while.

You know, you get all hurt and sad when somebody bashed dodge and you have nothing to do with them. Just be ready for Cerrebus to close Chrysler down completely like they did Aegis Corp. when the times get tough. It's going to happen and then don't expect sympathy from anybody.

I live here, I work here, this is my home and it was offensive to consider us in the same relm of carnival entertainment and the middle finger.

But, on the other hand, I guess it's nice to be well enough recognized to be dissed like this, unlike bummturd, MA where you live

Oh by the way, I just made fun of your city in case you didn't understand that so don't get mad and lighten up.

[Intrepidation]

You know, you get all hurt and sad when somebody bashed dodge and you have nothing to do with them. Just be ready for Cerrebus to close Chrysler down completely like they did Aegis Corp. when the times get tough. It's going to happen and then don't expect sympathy from anybody.

I live here, I work here, this is my home and it was offensive to consider us in the same relm of carnival entertainment and the middle finger.

But, on the other hand, I guess it's nice to be well enough recognized to be dissed like this, unlike bummturd, MA where you live

Oh by the way, I just made fun of your city in case you didn't understand that so don't get mad and lighten up.

Aww, you made fun of my city? I only wish I cared! I make fun of it too!

There's a difference between a crack and constant bashing, but it's probably hard to discern the difference with a rod that far up your bum.

[Justin Bimmer]

Aww, you made fun of my city? I only wish I cared! I make fun of it too!

There's a difference between a crack and constant bashing, but it's probably hard to discern the difference with a rod that far up your bum.

Constant bashing would be airing that comercial more than once. Just remember they were too cowardly to air that comercial here in Fresno. At least when CBS spoofed Fresno in '86 they had enough guts to put it on national television.

Normally I don't get in arguements on messageboards, and you can think you are winning this arguement all that you want in your closed minded world. But remember this, when you bite into anything that has to do with fruits, vegetables, or nuts, chances are it came from Fresno.

Remember, dont $h! where you eat buddy.

[Intrepidation]

Constant bashing would be airing that comercial more than once. Just remember they were too cowardly to air that comercial here in Fresno. At least when CBS spoofed Fresno in '86 they had enough guts to put it on national television.

Normally I don't get in arguements on messageboards, and you can think you are winning this arguement all that you want in your closed minded world. But remember this, when you bite into anything that has to do with fruits, vegetables, or nuts, chances are it came from Fresno.

Remember, dont $h! where you eat buddy.

Oh right...I'm closed minded because I can take a joke or don't get anal retentive because someone dares to make fun of the city I live in? Riiight.

There's no real argument here. All I said was that we all need to lighten up a bit and learn to laugh at a joke or two. You decided to get your panties in a bunch over it.

[pow]

The Fresno comment was lame, but I liked the rest of the ad. Very effective and very humorous, especially the CH4 capturer thing.

[Mr.Krinkle]

So what if you piss off a few to reach the overwhelming majority?

400,000 Fresnians are the butt of the 4,000,000 Los Angelinos and anyone else

in the viewing market that identifies with that joke.

And

You tell them, Toyota.

ps I thought it was funny.

[Flybrian]

Actually, that whole commercial reaked of gheyness. Lame. Like any future filled with the Prius is an appetizing one.

[Mr.Krinkle]

Lame. Like any future filled with the Prius is an appetizing one.

Yup. Only contributes to the comedic value.

[scharmer05]

I delt (and still do to an extent) with the movie Fargo....not a fair representation at all. I'm over it.

[Robert Hall]

I've lived in places with negative images that were the butt of jokes (Cleveland, Colorado Springs) and places with overall positive images (Ann Arbor, Chicago, Phoenix, Denver, Florida Keys)... as long as the economy is strong and growing in a place, I don't get too hung up on the image..

[regfootball]

I delt (and still do to an extent) with the movie Fargo....not a fair representation at all. I'm over it.

lame movie, for sure, but let's talk bison football. pulled another one out of the hat last night, eh?

[Intrepidation]

Speaking of bison, has anyone had buffalo?

[Satty]

Speaking of bison, has anyone had buffalo?

I've had their wings. No wonder they cant fly, those wings are tiny.

[Robert Hall]

Speaking of bison, has anyone had buffalo?

I like buffalo burgers....I've had 'em at restaurants up in the mountains (Idaho Springs, Co has a couple really good local brewpubs that serve buffalo dishes) and at the Ted's Montana Grill chain..

[mustang84]

Stereotyping happens all the time to places all over the country. The Midwest commonly gets called the fly-over states by the coasts, and we're portrayed as a bunch of pickup-driving farmers and hicks that don't have any culture or sophistication. I used to get annoyed by it but now I just laugh it off...people that stereotype are usually the ones that don't get out much anyway, so there's no real point in taking offense.

[regfootball]

Stereotyping happens all the time to places all over the country. The Midwest commonly gets called the fly-over states by the coasts, and we're portrayed as a bunch of pickup-driving farmers and hicks that don't have any culture or sophistication. I used to get annoyed by it but now I just laugh it off...people that stereotype are usually the ones that don't get out much anyway, so there's no real point in taking offense.

exactly. which is why those fresnoheads are being overly sensitive here.

[Guest YellowJacket894]

Hey, the folks out there in Fresno can have their pink polka-dotted panties in a bunch so far up their ass that you can see them down their throats if it means Toyota gets slammed down another five notches on the ladder of American perception. I'm happy that the auto company everyone has kissed ass to for thirty decades, give or take, is finally taking a hard tumble from the top. Because Toyota decided to make a bad joke, they're going to take a hefty hit in a big market: California.

There must not only be a God, but a just and loving one, too.

Note: Don't thwart me with your "Don't Make Fun of Fresno, Goddammit" stick, CaddyKing. In case you haven't paid attention to the portion of the screen to your left, I live in a state that gets ridiculed for having only having two teeth -- statewide -- in an inbred farmer's pants pocket, for God's sake. Do I like it? No, obviously. (I do find it, funny, though. Gives quite a hilarious mental image.) And that stereotype probably goes farther back than the stereotypes of Fresno do. So, let's not go there, 'cause, yeah, I know how much stereotypes suck. But it's nothing to cry at night over.

[siegen]

I don't get what people are getting upset about?

I thought the commercial was funny.

There are stereotypes for practically every city in America, why do some people get worked up over nothing?

[Intrepidation]

I've had their wings. No wonder they cant fly, those wings are tiny.

I like buffalo burgers....I've had 'em at restaurants up in the mountains (Idaho Springs, Co has a couple really good local brewpubs that serve buffalo dishes) and at the Ted's Montana Grill chain..

I've made buffalo burgers once. They're really good and tender...there's like no fat in the meat. I've been meaning to try the ones at Smokey Bones but the one time I went there I had ribs.

[scharmer05]

lame movie, for sure, but let's talk bison football. pulled another one out of the hat last night, eh?

How about that Bison Football? They pulled off their 2nd last second winning drive this season for their 14th straight win (the longest streak in D1AA football) and go into the final game (which I will be attending in South Dakota) as the #1 team in the nation and undefeated for the season. I was driving when the game was on and I almost shut it off and turned on Sirius because they were down 9-28 going into the 4th quarter. To bad we don't get to compete in the playoffs until next year.

[Intrepidation]

On the topic of football, how about them Patriots?

Edited November 13, 2007 by Dodgefan

[scharmer05]

On the topic of football, how about them Patriots?

Patriots? ohhhhh the New England Cheaters? I don't pay much attention to them but how bout them Packers?

[Intrepidation]

Patriots? ohhhhh the New England Cheaters? I don't pay much attention to them but how bout them Packers?

That's what my girlfriend called them when they beat the Colts, who she was rooting for.

[Camino LS6]

I don't get what people are getting upset about?

I thought the commercial was funny.

There are stereotypes for practically every city in America, why do some people get worked up over nothing?

Because of the infection that is the politically-correct mindset.

[regfootball]

How about that Bison Football? They pulled off their 2nd last second winning drive this season for their 14th straight win (the longest streak in D1AA football) and go into the final game (which I will be attending in South Dakota) as the #1 team in the nation and undefeated for the season. I was driving when the game was on and I almost shut it off and turned on Sirius because they were down 9-28 going into the 4th quarter. To bad we don't get to compete in the playoffs until next year.

su is 1 in the coaches poll but northern iowa is 1 in the other two fcs polls. iowegians. the iowegians need to be picked on more than fresno even.

the streak is the longest in D1 period.

Edited November 13, 2007 by regfootball