What a bunch of jerks. This is the letter I wrote to Curtis and am also going to forward to Toyota.

This e-mail is in response to your Prius commercial and specifically the Fresno comment and lumping it in with Fresno. Have you even been here or just spouting the typical Hollywood steroetype BS that everyone else is? I mean seriously, was it THAT necessary to bash a community that just happens to be the sixth largest city in California? Or is it just the ju rigor to just insult places you've never been? I'm also forwarding this e-mail to Toyota's advertising department to inform them of my displeasure with your commercial and that I will no longer be buying their cars (I've been an owner of Toyota cars for over a decade). They can thank you for doing such a wonderful job of driving one of their customers away. And I honestly doubt I will be the only one. It's a shame that you have to resort to negative statements to promote something these days.

Sincerely,

Michael *****

What's also funny is that this Ad agency is based in Tampa, which has about 100,000 fewer people than Fresno according 2006 census numbers ...

Will is from Tampa -- I'd like to hear him weigh in on this ...

You know I tried to navigate that cluster f of a site of theirs and couldn't figure out where they were. So he's in Tampa eh? Like he has anything to be proud of.

I don't know how bad it really is. I didn't think Fresno was really considered a tourist stop at all. Just a place to crash if you are too tired to drive to Yosemite.
If they build a Prius Assembly plant here we will forgive them, of course.

Thank you for finding this. Can't wait to email those 22 hacks.

I like how it doesn't even make sense.

Since when is Fresno a low-budget tourist stop?

Shame shame shame on them. Not all advertising people are mean.

here's my letter

"Dear Curtis,
I know that advertisement is a tough, cut throat business, but I must admit that I am saddened by your cheap shot at Fresno, Ca. We may not be huge metropolitan centers like Los Angeles or San Francisco, but we are a growing area. The greater Fresno area has 1 million people living in it. The city of Fresno, depending on whose numbers you use, is the 35th largest city in the U.S. This is hardly some quaint, backwater area that you can compare to "gas stations and ghost towns." We are a viable economic market that should be respected, and advertised to, not have pot shots taken at. In fact, Fresno has been a test market for many different products. Other companies and ad firms think that we're a fair indicator for the rest of the U.S. It seems that your firm, 22 Squared, and Toyota, do not. This is ignorant, unfortunate and shameful.

Respectfully,
Edward Stewart"

i always love ads that barely extol the virtues of the product, do not challenge the merits of the competition, and only seem to talk smack about nonrelated things (telemarketers, gas stations, and large cities).

Here is my email to Curtis:

I think I speak for many Fresnans when I say the Toyota ad I just saw a video clip of is offensive. If that ad is supposed to sell Toyota and further its brand, well, it failed miserably. At least in the San Joaquin Valley. We don't take ill-informed jokes on our beloved hometown lightly around here, and you should know that if you've ever been to Fresno or, gasp, are from Fresno.

Comparing Fresno to a ghostown or low-budget tourist stop is absurd. Do you know that Fresno and the surrounding Valley grows enough food to feed the world? That the city of Fresno has nearly 500,000 people (more than Sacramento)? That greater Fresno has more than 1 million? That Fresno State is probably the premier all-around university within the California State University system? That Fresno has a growing art and music scence, award-winning philharmonic and opera, a Level 1 trauma center that takes care of the most critically injured patients between Los Angeles and Sacramento? That Fresno State's football program has one of the top 3 Academic Progress Rates in the West and is one of the winningest programs in the nation since 2000? That the 16,000-seat on-campus Save Mart Center is one of the highest grossing concert venues in the world and one of the largest college basketball arenas in the West? That the Bulldog Foundation has led the nation in private fundraising for athletic scholarships for more than 20 years? That the San Francisco Giants' Triple-A affiliate is the Fresno Grizzlies (the first team EVER in California to be higher than Class A)? That the Grizzlies' stadium seats more than 12,000? That there is also minor league hockey and soccer and arena football? That a new roller coaster theme park is opening near a new Cabo Wabo? That there are two hotel/casinos within about a 20-minute drive? Yosemite within an hour? That the city is outlined by beautiful Sierra Nevada mountains, filled with popular lakes and skiing? That the police department's DUI program has become a national model? That parts of many movies have been filmed in Fresno? Most recently including the fourth Indiana Jones? That such professional athletes as Lorenzo Neal, Tim McDonald, Henry Ellard, Trent Dilfer, Mark Gardner, Bobby Jones, Nick Watney, etc. have returned to their roots to live in or near Fresno at one time or another? That the PGA Tour is likely headed to Fresno with a new Donald Trump golf course and real estate development? That businesses such as Pelco call greater Fresno their home? I could go on and on...

If you didn't know all that, now you do.

And you should also know, that as a Toyota owner, this ad has single-handedly turned my opinion of Toyota upside-down.

The people who really need to know of our displeasure are the LOCAL Toyota dealers. They are allowing their own company to show disrespect to our city. I recommend we send messages to the ad agency, Toyota corporation and the local Toyota dealerships. The local dealerships have a responsibility to tell the corporation that their ad is not acceptable. Only when it starts hurting sales will they get the message. It would be nice to know how many Toyotas are owned in this area. I see quite a few on the road. My next car is a Suburu.

Here are our local dealers:
Bingham Toyota
895 W Shaw Ave
Clovis, CA 93612
PH: (559) 291-5544
FX: (559) 291-0714

Michael Toyota
50 W Bullard Ave
Fresno, CA 93704
PH: (559) 431-6000
FX: (559) 436-0419

Toyota Of Selma
3150 Highland Ave
Selma, CA 93662
PH: (559) 891-2727
FX: (559) 891-2721

Valley Toyota
742 Academy Ave
Sanger, CA 93657
PH: (559) 875-4596
FX: (559) 875-4702

Ive emailed everyone at 22squared. Who do I email at Toyota?

C'mon, people. Lighten up. You have to be able to laugh at yourselves before you're justified in having a laugh at anyone else's expense. It's not a great commercial anyway, so if you're all THAT offended by it I'm guessing your sense of humor needs to spend a few hours on the treadmill to work off those love handles of self-entitlement it's been putting on lately.

I'm pretty thick-skinned about anti-Fresno comments, but I have to admit this one left me amazed. You'd think Rule No. 1 for any ad agency creative team, even one made up of what I assume are a bunch of snarky 24-year-olds pulling down $200,000 a year because they've conned someone into believing they can represent the "spirit" of a generation, is not to diss your own product. Fresno is a big Prius town, and I'll bet the local dealers aren't happy. If you're going to pick on a town, make sure you find one that doesn't have a Toyota dealership. Duh.

Goodness, it's just a commercial. Usually when one gets their undies all bunched it's because they know there's a shred of truth in what's said.

Aw, admit it that was funny.
Fresno- a nice place to live, but you wouldn't want to visit.
When we can extol our city to potential tourists for what is actually inside our city (besides sports) & not what's 20 minutes away, then we can be offended.
Besides- if it had said Bakersfield, you would have thought it was awesome.

WAIT! Everyone should be emailing Toyota corporate - not the ad agency. You have to let the actual company that you are upset. They need to know.

http://toyota.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/toyota.cfg/php/enduser/ask_intercept.php

Happy emailing!

I was told, by a TV writer, that it was just common place to use Fresno as the put down city, because we are big enough for people to know about and small enough to not fight it.
If anything, its a semi compliment.
Then again, dont listen to me.
I wasnt going to buy a prius anyways, youd think that they could make the car look a little cooler with the $ you pay for them.

I tried to send an email but it came back undeliverable.

ya know...

seriously? on this string alone I'm seeing a few faces that

a.) make it a point to talk trash about other towns (or other sections of town,) and then say 'I'm just kidding, where's your sense of humor??.'
or
b.) trash Fresno endlessly, (or talk it up endlessly,) and are far from subtle in how they do it.

I agree with the other writer who stated 'if they were trashing Bakersfield, you'd think it was great. (Hello, how much of a glowing double-standard do you need in that?)
-admit it.
When it's HERE ripping on HERE it's fine to do so.
-Some of this string reads like Jr. HighSchool.

-Folks get all worked up that somebody's 'picking on the town,'
(which, p.s.?,
is WHY they pick on the town, because they know that they CAN get a reaction,
(you people realize that you're calling for a boycott/writing letters to a major auto manufactorer as well as dealers ---over a stupid television commercial?)

Is this place that emotionally fragile?)
okay, maybe so...

-but wait-

(-really the crown,)
-after pissing and whining about how 'awful it is to be picked on,' (wanting others to stop being such meanies),
-Fresno talks trash about other towns, areas, people, itself, etc. etc.
---and does so LOUDLY, all the time, in it's media, podcasts, community message boards, (etc. etc.)

Hmmmm.

There has to be somebody with a creative brain who realizes that this could be taken and spun
(platform handed to this town on a silver platter, by Toyota, in this case,)
to which it can answer and addressing the phenom of 'Fresno,' as a joke-term once and for all.

(parody ads, commercials, (etc.) -hello, is this thing on?

-directly address all the things that make it antiquated, or backwards or whatever,
(shoot it cut it as a serious 'pro-town infomercial, instilling the values and virtues of the place, (shoot it in colorized black and white, reeeealllly playing up the 'Mayberry,' image if you want,
-only to have a each group represented in their various crossections of Fresno in the final shots giving the bronx cheer and thumbing their knows at the camera (like the French Knights in 'Holy Grail.'

-Or a voice over of some whiney old guy voicing every cliche' about how bad the place, while the camera shows smiling Fresnans actually doing cool stuff and having a good time... (again, same razberry-nose thumbing sequence in the end,)

It could be a series of parody commercials not unlike some of the other greats in the area (the weird Carls Jr. ones, the California Milk Cows taunting the football playing horses, (which rides beautifully on Budwiser, (etc.)

If done right?
This could be brilliant.

-I think the other writer also had a point,
-Folks are pissed at this 'jab,' because everybody here knows that there's truth to it,
-and if they didn't?
All they have to DO is look up the endless conversations on their computer after googling 'Fresno,'
and find the biggest aspects that Fresnans talk and write about
('...it sucks here,'
'it doesn't suck here,'
'a 'vacant,' mall,'
'a 'vacant downtown,'
'not even the mayor goes downtown,'
'the county has moved from downtown,'

...um, hello?, do you think THAT's where they got the 'antiquated/abandoned,' motif from for the commercial?
'...It's not a relevant remark, it doesn't even make sense.'
-Right...

(Sorry, the rest of the world is not going to play by the rules re:
'ONLY 'Fresno's cool,' are allowed to trash every possible aspect of this place, they never have, they never will.)

And, again, the whole ability to say something and get so many people worked up like it's the cuban missle crisis...?
Just gives them more to laugh at.

-as soon as Fresno gets over itself, the rest of the planet will, too.

In the meantime?
This is an EXCELLENT opportunity to have fun with it, quit whining, develop a thicker skin, and really ride this thing (using the Toyota commercial as a launch,) and laugh at Fresno's own demons.

Any other method of handling it?
Is just going to make here look even more insecure, unbalanced, and immature.

But played into this the right way?
This could be excellent.

(im impressed. at least 18 people read the beehive.)

i thought it was kinda funny. i took it as a compliment.

not because its true, but because its a stereotype. fresno has gotten to the point in pop culture that its the easiest go-to punchline. it's a word-association thing. like when we wanna joke about "classy," we jump to britney spears.

we should take pride in our city's accomplishments that we're always being mentioned in commercials and tv shows.

but dont bag on my hometown of tampa just because this ad agency is based there. we have enough issues, what with our devil rays always being the visiting team (even at home games), our most-accomplished export is hooters and our favorite son hulk hogan has a kid in jail.

see, every city has problems. fresno had a miniseries in the 80s. now it's being compared to a museum.

we should hold our heads high.

eric (wet towel)
i'm positive i'm one of those you're referring to, and yes, i do see the irony/possible hypocrisy of calling out an ad firm for dissing us in a commercial. but, if you'll check back to the email i sent, i think i'm coming across very clear as to the message i'm trying to send. it's not that i actually think it's bad for them to make jokes about towns, it's that they should realize the facts about that town when doing so.

perhaps i'm going a bit far in my final words (shameful), but i overall i think i, along with others, are merely trying to stick up for our city. and yes, we probably would be alright with them picking another city. why? well, we may not know anything about that place. if they picked trenton, nj, as a quaint ghost town, i wouldn't be upset because i don't know anything about trenton, other than i've heard the name of the city. hell, i'm not even sure what state trenton, nj, is in? is that part of new york? (wink, wink.)

but we know about fresno. we know that the greater fresno area is an economic force. we know that the central valley feeds the world. we know that we're part of the great american consuming culture. and, yes, we know that we have room to grow. maybe we're sensitive because we're little bro' to l.a. and s.f. maybe we're a little thin-skinned because we're often shown in media as the backwater of california. so, yes, if you insult my town, i will stick up for it because i like it. if you're from outside of ca. and insult l.a. or s.f., i'll stick up for them because they're a part of my state and i like them. this doesn't mean that i won't try and stir up a little hometown enthusiasm when we're playing bakos, or another intrastate-rival in soccer (i don't follow the falcons or fsu so i'm not trying to lead their bandwagons).

and finally, mike oz, thanks for pointing this out. good topic start. i know it's not your fault, but my email didn't go through as well. something about not delivered because of a time-out. i can't imagine that we've flooded that guy's email box and it's jammed full, could we? i mean, do you hold that much power? good work. the power of the dark side is strong with you.

Has anyone thought that maybe they were talking about Fresno, Texas. It's a pretty small town outside if Houston.

I thought it was hysterical! Lighten up everyone.

(And, yes, I live in Fresno and own a Toyota Camry Hybrid).

E, Edlove, (etc.)

gee we have so many names.

-Yep, Trenton is in NJ, (right on the delaware, actually.)

Tons of things to make fun of there too, (Camden, further down the river is worse, (directly across from Phila.)
-Camden? has notoriously destroyed itself, (fires, etc,) each mischief night, -and if it's stopped doing so? It will be because of only a recent change of activity, -or that there's simply nothing left.
(By the way, Camden is the former home of Campbells Soup.)

Yep, you're 'one of the people,' but I'm speaking more of a trend.

You have to realize that you (collectively,) are being played.

-Sometimes you have to just let that go, or capitalize on it.

It's like, everytime somebody walks up to you and says 'your mom,'
-do you deck them?
I dunno, maybe here in Fresno, the cops will look at a guy lying all over the pavement, and say
'...well, sir, you said 'your mom,' to Ed, here, and he had a right to pound you, because you provoked him...
now run along to the emergency room,
get your jaw wired back together,
and while you're eating through a straw for a week or six?, think about what you said...'

I'm saying: get passed it.

-Even Better?
Don't complain about people bouncing on Fresno, when you (collectively,) bounce on other towns (or even aspects of this,)
---that just gives anyone free license and bolsters negative feelings about the place.

Personally?

I live here,
have a couple of businesses,
pay rent,
taxes,
yadda yadda
-know people, have friends and enemies, go to churches, (blah-blah-blah) am a part of enough stuff locally...

-I realize that one of the oldest traps to fall into is the 'you have to be from here for X amount of time to know what you're seeing, or talk about it.'
-particularly in this town that's just another way of establishing some false heirarchy.

-Everybody in Fresno is a Transplant from one time or another. (This was initialy, what, a place to water trains or something?)

-I agree, It's not particularly smart to comment on stuff that you don't know about (true,)
-but commenting on what is going on, -as well as what folks are saying and doing accurately...?
Needs to be done, is done regardless, and frankly?
I'd encourage it.

As someone who comes from more bad areas and dark local and regional histories than you can shake a Clovis house of ill-repute at,
-the only way to really be free of the whole mess is to use it just like (a previous) writer says:
as a humorous trademark, honest, funny, and TOTALLY marketable.

This could be a total watershed, provided by Toyota:
'Fresno: Just like Trenton, but with (slightly) less confusing roadways, and NO snow and ice,
(...cars that are rolling wrecks and suicidal drivers who refuse to hang up (or) signal?
yes!,

but NO snow or ice.)'

or how about this:

'Hey Fresno, you're Trenton is showing...'

(not totally accurate, I mean, Trenton has it's rough areas, but it's a pretty decent town.)

"...that we're part of the great american consuming culture..."

That made me shudder ( and not at the poster, just the term )... Ok, back to your regularly scheduled bic... I mean... blogging.

UPDATE:
I emailed both the ad agency and Toyota. Here's what I got back from their regional PR guy:

Thanks for your note. Yes, this has caused quite an uproar. Turns out Toyota's California contingent had nothing to do with it, so I hope our Frenso-area dealers don't become scapegoats.

By way of background, we learned the ad was produced by a Toyota distributor in another part of the country. It has been edited to remove any reference to Fresno and we have implemented a series of controls that will monitor future local advertising to prevent this type of error in judgement from occurring. In addition, we have issued letters of apology to Mayor Autry and Senator Dianne Feinstein.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Another thing I wanted to add on:

I think I have to apologize to people in Tampa. 22 Squared has two branches, one in Atlanta and one is Tampa. I'm not totally sure which branch did this, but I think it's the Atlanta people.

hmmm Atlanta is a cool city....at least cuz
my creative-wacko gittar prog-rock pal Phil lives there.
Tampa....well, I don't know nobody there.
""F" you Toyota"---yeah, reactionary...but there you
go. THat's the mood I'm in. 'f' you Toyota---I ain't never
gonna buy a Toyota....ah, I'm sure you are crushed.
But there you go. Uncool. Oh well.
For people who are trying to overcome the evils of greed
and it's fall-out....'f' you Mr. Toyota. There ya go.

Give em hell!

I've actually noticed the begining of the commercial on TV recently but stopped watching it about :10 in to it. Why? Cause the topic doesn't interest me. And I have DVR. I just click "next" till my program is back on ha.

It did seem like a cheap shot.

And Mr. blake! You are human! I not longer have to surpress my self-diagnosised Tourettes around you! BIG HUGS

Great job!!!! Cheers to you Mike Oz. If I see you out I am buying you a beer!!!

A response to Eddie:

You win the award for school spirit for proclaiming that "Fresno State is probably the premier all-around university within the California State University system," but time for a reality check, dude.

Wow. We have problems with poverty, unemployment, and gangs/violent crime and THIS is what gets people active in the community? I'm glad Fresno is the butt of jokes because this town deserves it. I love this place and all of it's flaws but Fresnans who are ready to crucify a marketing team over some brief, vague, thinly veiled criticism is much more telling about this place than an obscure moth-balled commercial. Grow up and fight for something that matters.

Two ways to look at it.
1. Free exposure for Fresno.
2. It is mentioned so fast, most people won't even hear it.

i don't get it? :::scratching head:::

I have to agree with those who are laughing about this.
Did anyone get in an uproar and email the creators of the Simpsons when they insulted Fresno in their wine tasting episode?
Did anyone email Capital One when David Spade used Fres-noooo in his "no" commercials?
It's a joke people. Lighten up.
I doubt it will have any negative effect whatsoever. If there were ANY effect, it may have someone in Nowhere USA look at a map and discover where this Fresno place they've never heard of.
I know Fresno is a great place. I just left there and am living in Cleveland, Ohio. Let me tell you, I'd rather be in Fresno. But to let something as silly as this waste minutes out of your life is not only rediculous, it's sad.
I like the reference. It's humorous.

I think the ad is very low-key, trying to be a bit of a modern version of the old VW ads that won multiple awards. I think there are a lot more interesting and important things to get outraged about here in Fresno; for starters the thousands and thousands of commuters lined up every morning and evening on 41 and 180 in their giant gas-guzzling pickups that have never had anything loaded in the back, and the politicians (including the mayor) who continually allow developers to chew up agricultural land with suburban sprawl housing developments that require lazy people to use their cars to go anywhere at all. What would Rodney Dangerfield say? "Take Fresno. Please!"

It all started at a 5,000-watt radio station in Fresno, California.

How soon they forget.

Wow. This has become much bigger than I ever thought.

Ha!

Anyhow, my two cents on the whole issue of Fresno's hurt feelings. I agree with the people who are saying big deal because I don't think it does any good for us to whine about it, but at the same time, I also don't think we just shrug it off like oh well. I think that's the defense mechanism that Fresno uses, that's why Fresno has this big ol' inferiority complex.

I know this stuff happens a lot (right, Ted?) and, as people in here explained, it's almost something to be proud of (at least they know own name, right?) But I dunno.

I don't think crying about it is the right response. I don't think say "we'll never buy Toyota is either."

If I could, like, egg somebody's house.

That would be a good response, I think.

Maybe they're just doing their jobs, or maybe they're assuaging the electorate for their next run for office, but Autry and Feinstein are *way* over-reacting.

The Toyota ad's likening Fresno to a "tourist stop", low-budget or not, sounds like a bit of a step up from reality, actually. Where in Fresno do we see foreign tourists getting off a bus and snapping pictures to take home?

The commercial was distributed in the southeastern US where few Fresnans would have the opportunity to be offended. Any publicity could be regarded as positive, especially if it were delivered in a tongue-in-cheek fashion, as this clearly was.

We all need to collectively lighten up and be big enough to laugh with others about Fresno's reputation...self-deprecation is about humility and inner strength. If we let little jabs like this get us down, we won't be strong enough as a community to get beyond them.

Please, We all know Fresno is the "DREGS". Schools for the drop-out bound, corrupt politicians kissing celebrity ass, dirty air and asthma, a failing infrastructure, a high taxed and fee weary population, over kill on sign pollution by business concerns up and down every street, trash everywhere, homeless population under every freeway, low wage job factories, No one in their right mind would be here unless they have to. Toyota has done nothing wrong. This is reality, Fresno sucks and everyone in the country knows it. We are like the emperor with no cloths. Nothing intelligent here.....

-

Uh -- Fresno is "angered?" How typical.

I'm willing to bet a beer that whomever WROTE that joke has a Fresno tie.

They're either FROM Fresno, lived in Fresno at some point, or have family in town. Make it TWO beers.

Come on people, get with it already dammit.

Try this experiment: go around town and ask people to give you their opinion of Fresno in fifteen words or less. Ask a cross-section of people of varying ages, genders, racial backgrounds, etc.

Then air THOSE responses on national television.

I PERSONALLY did this and captured some scathing comments ON CAMERA. NONE of which were nearly as nice as likening us to a low-cost tourist stop.


Oh -- and a round of applause for the elected officials keeping their priorities and heads on straight during this scene. There's nothing like focusing on the issues that truly impact our community and society as a whole.

But then again, if you write official letters and act like you're "not gonna put up with it" it appears as though you're actually doing something.

-

Although it is very unfortunate that Toyota and many other media sources put down Fresno, I believe it our job as people who live in this area to do something about this typical stereotype.

Central California offers many advantages that other limelight cities may not possess: First off, the diversity is unlike any other place in California. We have some of the most easy-going, personable, and down right friendliest people imaginable.

Our Entertainment Lifestyle is continuously growing, bringing that Bay Area/L.A feel here to the Central Valley without even leaving our area.

Whether it is the beach one wants to visit, or the lights of Hollywood in the evenings, these places are just a short drive away!

More and more homes are being built here because of one reason: THIS IS THE PERFECT PLACE TO RAISE A FAMILY! Great school systems, business and career opportunities, great entertainment, and most of all...IT'S CHEAPER TO LIVE HERE!

Why live in an area where you must leave a couple hours early everyday to work, just to avoid traffic? Everything one wants, they can have by living here in the Central Valley!

It is my belief that we need more and more people from this area to stop complaining, and start taking action to better ourselves and overall image. It starts with the citizens of Central California. We need more ideas, increased activity, and a notion of "working together" to fight these false stereotypes.

I know plenty of people out there from this area that are fed up with all of these put downs. Nevertheless, it is our duty to ensure that the media and citizens of California know that this is a beautiful place to live with much promise in the future.

For those residents living in the valley who wish to see tall buildings, over-populated traffic, and beaches...it is probably in the best interest to leave the Valley and move to these desired places.

Some say: "[various growls and rumbles]" (which was my first reaction...as seen earlier in this discussion.)

Others say: laugh it off (hmmmm)

Others say: typical of Fresno, with all our problems THIS is what gets them up-in-arms----
and to THIS I say: You're wrong.
Lots of people are making an effort beyond their 'go-to-work,-eat,-go-to-bed' lives in order to make the town better. And THAT's why the remark in the ad made me mad. It's dismissive. Dismissive of many people's true efforts. To me, it's not unlike racial or sexist remarks that dismiss a people and ignore folks' best efforts. So yeah, I stand by the grumble.

damn,I wish peoples would git as pissed off about the neo-con's theft of 6 trillion dollars from our treasury as this stupid toyota ad!
really folks,$6 a gal gas by spring! Right after they(neo-con's)
attack Iran.You'll wish you had a Prius......

LMAO... i honestly found that funny. im reminded of a quote from, i believe it was, airplane two, "fresno, but nobody goes to fresno anymore!"

As someone who moved away from Fresno, not because i didnt enjoy living there mind you, but by way of the Army, i cant say as though my feelings are any different than this ad companies. I live in a community (the army) which is made up of a medley of people from all walks of life and from every corner of our great country. and this pretty much resounds everyone else's opinions that I've ever known. not even the occasional former Fresno resident really has much great to say about the town. I wish i could defend Fresno on this one. but, from the outside lookin' in, I'm not so sure i can do that. Now, i know that there are great aspects to Fresno, but i havent seen em. Is Fresno hiding its greatness somewhere under that greenish-brown haze? Sorry Fresno, not gettin any defense from me.

After reading through the comments, some of them ring more and more true.
Fresno - The perfect place to raise a kid - if you want that kid to become a methamphetamine addict or a high school dropout.

Fresno - A diverse population - Where else can you find such a mixture of unemployment, homelessness, and poverty so evenly spread across all minority races while the wealthy enjoy their Clovis homes.

Fresno - A mere three hour drive to anywhere exciting (which, by the way, you can do on a half tank in a Prius!)

Fresno - Two casinos within 20 minutes, 3 within 45 minutes. Just don't go on the first or the fifteenth. The lines are horrendous with those waiting to "hit it big" with their paychecks. Forget groceries, we got a casino!

Fresno Football - We can play any big name team, and ALMOST keep up, but God forbid we win against no namers in our own division.

The SaveMart Center - Because Selland Arena is downtown!

Fresno - Where asthma isn't a disease, it's a way of life!

I could expand more, but why bother.

Let's start fixing some of the problems we have before bashing a car manufacturer or marketing agency for taking a pop shot at us.
Besides, you would laugh all the way to the dealership if they made fun of some town in Alabama.

OK this does suck for Fresno and I am happy living here because I love to fish and it is cheap to live here but really, how do others (not from Fresno) perceive Fresno. We have nothing here but small business and Ag. Have you seen downtown? As large as the population is in Fresno you would think we would have somthing to attract others to coming and remembering Fresno but, NOPE. I am very disappointed in our city leaders for not trying to bring more to Fresno. Just look at Running Hourse a perfect example of, wow we screwed that one up. I think we should attract building a theme park here, it is the perfect location in the middle of California and it would bring alot of dough to Fresno. Boycotting Toyota just make us look like a child that got scolded for being boring. Who is really going to hurt, the employees that work for Toyota who are FRESNANAS. They might loose their jobs because of a comercial that is a reality check. This just shows us how stupid people really are......

You know, they didn't even have to say "or Fresno". They could have just said "... low-budget tourist attractions, like ghost towns." Period. The ad would have been perfectly fine without the gratuitous dig. (That is, for an over-the-top utopian-tree-hugger-type message).

Make no mistake, I'm an ecologist myself, I recycle and try my best to help save the planet, and was even thinking of buying a Prius, maybe. But this ad is a bit too airy-fairy; in fact it appears to appeal to a *stereotype* of a liberal ecology-minded person, not actual such people. And the dig at Fresno was just cruel and needless.

Best of luck with the cow pollution. There's gotta be a better way to do dairies without poisoning your children, too.

Hey -- for the record I am definitely one of those people that go "beyond their 'go-to-work,-eat,-go-to-bed' lives in order to make the town better."

And if this is the Blake I'm thinking of....YOU ARE TOO.

Let's take this opportunity to get people riled into putting a fire under the a$$ of this sluggish movement. We need to take the comment by the guy serving in the military. His was a true and candid opinion not created in a PR boiler room.

There IS a lot happening here, but we're apparently not getting this message out. Even with the MAJOR efforts, and MAJOR SUCCESSES that are happening all around us -- the message is not getting out.

There IS the ongoing conversation over at MindHub.ORG as well....this is a great time to scout people who want to take a serious hand in creating change in Fresno!

1. Correcting the homeless epidemic in Fresno. Yes, I said epidemic. If anyone has never driven by the tent city, try it some time. It's stomach turning to see that many people with nowhere to go.

2. Erraticating Methamphetamines from Fresno. Get rid of them completely. Do WHATEVER it takes. The problem is so much bigger than anyone in Fresno cares to admit. It is swept under so many rugs. It is a major issue that nobody touches.

3. Clean up the air. It is sad that the only time you can see the mountains anymore is the few hours after a rain. I remember growing up and seeing those mountains EVERY SINGLE DAY. And I remember breathing clean air.

4. Get a grip on development. Concentrate on revitalizing downtown, not building suburbs. There are enough $400,000 houses in Clovis. It's insane.

I know this may seem off topic, but I think it relates directly. Stop crying about a fleeting remark at Fresno, one that is made over and over and over and over and over and over.............
Worry about real problems.

For those that hate this commercial, or disagree w/what the commercial says PLEASE explain how Fresno IS a tourist spot??

As a transplanted Fresnan now living in Bakersfield I must point out that the cheap shot this ad agency made was then echoed by just1opinion about Bakersfield.... tsk, tsk...

Although I still am proud that Fresno was my home town, Bakersfield has something that I remember Fresno had when I was growing up: Pride in Itself.

I think the response everyone has from Fresno regarding this commercial is the typical Fresno response. That Fresno is a sophisticated big city because it is the fifth largest in the state, but Fresnans always take themselves too seriously.

It should embrace its smaller town image instead of thinking it is on par with Los Angeles. Fresno never has and never will be which I think is good for Fresno. Fresno has always had a small town image and feel.

We back our university. Los Angeles has over 70 colleges and universities Fresno has a handful. We used to have to walk across the runway to climb the stairs to get on a plane. That is not big city. We had a religous zealot as a mayor in the 90's that is not big city. We have a tv actor as a mayor that is not big city. The state has a motion picture actor as Governor that is big city.

We have highway 99, the other big cities have several interstates. We have Donald trump ready to pull the table out from under us and the big cities call his bluff. Lets embrace our small town feel and stop trying to be something we are not. Once we stop having that big city envy and think Fresno is the only city that gets made fun of then we can start feeling better for how lucky we are that we live in Fresno.

OMG! Henry T. reads the beehive and stole MY Line about forgiving Toyota if they build a Prius factory here for his Bee interview.
Cool, I don't mind. Henry, if you need any speechwriting help I'm for hire. Oh yeah I play guitar, sing and write songs too.

I lived in Fresno (not by choice) for many years...you people being upset by the ad really need to get a life. There's a reason why Fresno is made fun of more than any other town in the U.S., maybe the world. It has to do with the wonderful state we live in, and in comparison, how Fresno sucks.

But hey, like the 559 saying goes, at least you're not Bakersfield! :)

Fresno: The City That Can't Take a Joke

That's what we are now. The fact that the ad was pulled is making bigger waves around the Internets than the ad did to begin with.

I'm not going to make another post out of this, to prolong this issue or splinter the discussion, so I thought I'd just throw some links out there of places where this is being discussed.

There has been a lot of talk on Digg.

As well as the following ...
- Ad Week
- Wired
- Prius Owners Group
- PSFK
- WindingRoad.com

It even made it to a TV station in Santa Barbara.

Oh, and the video has more than 33,000 views on YouTube.

... and I'm sure there's much more that I just haven't seen yet.

Fresno is a sh*thole. Face it the town sucks.

...um, Mike?

-the city that can't take a joke?
(you just waking up to this buddy???)

you like, er,

-freakin' declared war on (ooops, the wrong,) branch of a marketing firm oops'... Georgia,' not 'Florida,' oopsss sorreeeee.'

-some guy's name is mentioned in the openning blah-blah about it to start off the string, 'on air' as a an erstwhile target and who to get in touch with, until like their computers crashed or something.

-Toyota (mother company (international, national,)
---and then ALL local dealers are listed (name address, etc. etc.) a
s places to vent rage and boycott...?

and when the board goes nuts?

(even Fresno's,
er,
Kingsburg's lost Beatle going all hip-hop,
dropping 'F' bombs,
(ooops, wait,
they're literally 'F' bombs,
NOT 'F**k Mr. Toyota,,,'
(because you know,
that'd be like, bad... monster difference...)

talking 'bout 'egging people's houses and stuff as an alternative and more reasonable response...

Dude...
After pitching this and winding it tighter than two rotti's on crank and chili sauce,
then cutting it loose,

-you're wondering about the response and folks going postal?

(that Fresno's neurosis is has been completely revived, and is now more famous the initial ad ever will be?)

This, my friend, whether by accident or design was TRUE journalism in an age of instant reaction and everything goes.
(You may want to have something bronzed, or run like hell.)

With such a 'straight-no-chaser' responses elicited by a LOT of people,
this little fire you started here is either the work of

a. Complete Brilliance: in that it reveals what people are really thinking,
(unfortunately) Fresno has just confirmed to the world that it's the new Tanya Harding WITH pipe*lady*.)

or

b. you're totally clueless.

-and, um, of all the thoughts I've ever had about you?, Mike, clueless was never one of them... (you can't be clueless, you gave me a heads up on the Avett Brothers, I'm like forever in your debt...)

Whole Thing?
Very Entertaining...
(I'm laughing even harder.)
(...But I'm a coping/gallows humor man, at heart.)

-seriously, take a bow.

This thing is a social scientist's treasure-trove.
Psych students are going to use this thing as an example in papers from now till kingdom come.

(I can hear the T-Shirts printing while we speak.)

Void/Towel:

I know my place in this. I've stated how I feel about the ad previously in this thread.

My latest comment was more summing up the reaction around the net than sharing any opinion. Thus the "Fresno: The City That Can't Take a Joke."

That wasn't me making any kind of judgement, that was me summing up what was in the links that followed that sentence.

well, whatever the summation was, still, very entertaining, very revealing work.
I think ya did a good job.

I'm sorry if Wet Void/Towel wished me to spell out
the naughty words; I'm sure they can be found via 'spellcheck' on any word processor if help be necessary.

I've given this some thought.

I wouldn't mind if some Fresnans spun this tempest-in-a tea-pot into something good for the town.

I just don't like jokes that dismiss folks.

I'm happy and inspired by folks who lift people up--people who encourage people.

I stand by my original idea that this joke was dismissive, so I say, blow off the remarker-er. Give them the finger. But don't stop there.....
continue doing Good Work. That's what matters.
Yes Fresno has Major Major problems. I do not deny that.
But they have Major Major efforts to do some cool stuff.
I only hope that those making an effort continue doing so, and those taking advantage, and those putting others down in order to make themselves look bigger, 'get theirs'. I believe in a Universe that will ultimately shake it all down---so there ya go.

How do know if toyota was talking about our Fresno? I think there are 3 Fresnos in U.S.

This string has proven that many Fresnans can't spell and have no concept of the proper function of the parenthesis.

Blake: Seriously, cover Ben Folds 'Rockin' the Suburbs.'

'...you don't know what it's like,
to be raised male, middle class and white,
Mr. Toyota made me so uptight, I think I'm gonna have to cuss on the mic tonight...'

-spell whatever.
I just can't figure out the mittens.
(',,,golly, I'm really pissed at Toyota,
and I want to use a socially innapropriate word that means violent retaliative sexual intercourse against a major Japanese automotive manufactorer,
-but if I use the word 'f**k,' that will be 'too over the line',,,,
what to do, what to do?'
I GOT IT
'F!'

(cool, it's: 'Bad-Ass Lite,'
ALL of the intent and meaning,
NONE of the social nastities,
(for like, those occasions when you 'want' to use vulgar profanity, but are too darn midwestern and polite (dontchaknow,) to just go all 'urban.')

Okay, whatever.

I just love the honesty of the comments,(even yours.)

Folks are beginning to realize: in order for things to get better?
It's no more 'false nods to superficial civility' and 'spelling things out.'

They're just saying it.
(The days of euphamism on this issue is over.)
-The mayor demands an apology, Toyota apoligizes, -what does it accomplish?

Fresno Sucks
(AND)
Fresno is Excellent:
Both still true, how can this be?
Discuss.

Being straight about it means the sucky part may just be dealt with.
And PS kids,
Fresno has been going on,(endlessly on MindHub, FresFam, the Bee, (etc. etc.) for like, Years???
-we have NO right to feign surprise and insult
-get all in a hizzie over somebody chiming in, when they're saying the same truths we have...
(I'll leave the fact that we trash other 'rival,' towns with regular aplomb, out of this particular writing.)

One of the biggest points I see is:
---god ferbid our 'towns image,'
takes a spitball without an apology from the
Pope,
reparations,
and a new day on the calendar to mark the atrocity...

(how's that for 'scope'?

This is NOTHING.

The Fresno/Bakersfield writer nailed it (too,)
-Fresno's sense of pride IS flagging.
-And 'pride,' is not going 'full beat down on the first person or corp. to make a joke,'
(which is more sociopath than pride, actually,)

-but 'pride,' that comes with being an adult,
admitting our faults,
walking in our strengths,
growing and creating,
and not hiding nor hyping any of it.

THAT we're low on...

Somebody get Toyota back on the phone and let them know that we'er not just a bunch of sissies who demand an apology over something that is meant to be funny,
happens to be true,
and that we're adult enough to laugh along with,
before we look like a bunch of real boneheads.

-What?
Hold the phone...
The President just launched an air-strike against Toyota's plant in Kentucky,(calling them 'evil-doerss,' who make fun of honest god-fearin' Fresnans?')
Oh well, too late.

(Maybe we won't have to translate your amorous intent to Mr. Toyota,
-but my first advice?
He's pretty well off,(even though he's dead,)
I'd buy a nice aftershave and flowers just to sort of, you know, set the mood.)

It stinks that Toyota and the Tampa ad agency took a cheap shot at Fresno. But honestly, what is there to be proud of. This city seems to do everything wrong. First and foremost, Fresno a big city. What bothers me the most is that Fresnans sure as hell don't act like we live in a large city. Look at our downtown, it's full of glorious buildings that are just being left to rot. What do we do instead? We allowed that eyesore, monstrosity, known as River Park to be built. Oh and what about our crime? In addition, traffic is starting to suck here too. So what do we do? We build the 180 and 168 freeways. It does not matter what Toyota's ad say: no amount of Priuses will ever clean up our disgusting air. Our solution? An easy, big city soulution: build a light-rail line! Let's start conducting ourselves as a large city and start focusing our attention on bigger issues, rather than wasting our time on a Toyota commercial. So sad.

Oh thank GOODNESS our Mayor and City Councilfolks had the free time to tackle this MAJOR MAJOR issue affecting the Fresno economy, the downtown situation, the homeless challenge, and the damn loud trains!

Now that he’s used his collateral up with Feinstein, Mayor Bubba can rest easy.

Hope there’s not a natural disaster here and he can’t get her on the phone, cuz she’s on the other end going “Oh, what NOW? Did Leno bash Fresno?? Hang up on him.”

Go back to your vente iced mocha frappacino, Bubba, and stop wasting the Cities' time and energy on stupid stuff. Jerry Duncan, someone who reads the Beehive and supposedly works for a living? Let this one go and get some more people in your district some JOBS, mmkay?

I have to say that I'm not overly offended by the commercial, especially considering I have spent my life as a Valley resident. I dont exactly see the humor and think it's a crapy ad, but it's Toyotas loss of $$$$$$. Funny since I live in Fresno and own a Toyota!!!
My only complaint is that I find it very sad that the rest of the country finds in necessary to take stabs at Fresno. When will people stop to give the city and the Valley the praise it deserves for providing this country and most of the world with it's food and produce. Im sure Fresno can get by without Toyota but could the rest of the world get by without us????

I'm so angry I want to fill-up to my gas tank to FULL to spite Prius;)

This "uproar" is exactly why Fresno will continue to be the butt of jokes. As far as I see it, this is just another Mayor Autry hissy fit, just like his one at the U.S. Conference of Mayors in June when he quit because he didn't get his way during their vote. Maybe if Fresnans elected better leadership for their city (a pipe dream, I'm sure... but [almost] anything is a step up from Autry), you wouldn't have problems like this ad. The city could grow and move forward into the 21st Century instead of being endless sprawl just east of the 99. By the way, the rest of the country is laughing at you when you have a "Defense of Traditional Marriage Day", too.

At the end of the day, Fresno is about as average of a town as they come. As someone who wasn't born there and got the hell out when I had my chance, I would think its pretty sad that the only reason I could ever imagine going back is for a slice of Me-N-Ed's pizza.

Oh, and OF COURSE Fresno is a 1000x better than any of the places down in the south where the ad actually ran, so God knows what they were laughing about (or if they could actually point out Fresno on a map).

Who cares people, this commercial is dumb and doesnt even make sense.

In my opinion, the coming oil crisis will makes cars a luxury to have in the future.