Toyota’s sexist ad disaster spreads to the US
Toyota’s PR disaster has gone international with US and British media turning their attention to the controversial “Clean Getaways” winner of its Yaris film making competition.
The influential Huffington Post has published a story about the pulling of the ad from the Saatchi & Saatchi-moderated Clever Film Comp site. It has already generated hundreds of responses from its mainly American audience over its ‘sexist’ content.
As Mumbrella reported last night, there has also been coverage from the British media including the Times and Telegraph.
Mumbrella first revealed the growing online backlash on social media networks including Facebook on Sunday afternoon, before mainstream Australian press followed up yesterday.
The ad – directed by Frazer Bailey and written by Micha McDonald – was created in a contest to make a short film featuring a Yaris and was selected as the winner by a jury including Toyota and advertising agency representatives.
Toyota spokesman Mike Breen later apologised for any offence caused, although the brand has so far been unable to say whether the advertisement remains as the winner of its contest.
Tim Burrowes founded Mumbrella in 2008. He worked on Mumbrella until 2021. At various points he was editor, content director and editor-at-large.
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I too am disgusted with the tone and content of this sexist advertisement by Micha McDonald for TOYOTA — reveals more of the yobbo and sexist culture which is so entrenched in Australia. Does the Toyota company accept and support his comments/views? I would hope not!
I’m a toyota customer, but …. maybe not for long!! This ad should not be the winner, because that would like saying its OK to treat women this way!! No way Jose!
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Who let Maureen out of the kitchen?
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@anonymous. Who let you out of your cot?
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First Westpac, now this. It’s clear that big companies just don’t GET social media!
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They should have approved my campaign script:
In a sunny day in Sydney….
A man was walking in the street when he heard a voice. “Stop! Stand still! If you take one more step, a brick will fall down on your head and kill you.” The man stopped and a big brick fell right in front of him. The man was astonished.
He went on, and after awhile he was going to cross the road. Once again the voice shouted: “Stop! Stand still! If you take one more step a car will run over you and you will die.” The man did as he was instructed, just as a Toyota came careening around the corner, barely missing him.
“Where are you?” the man asked. “Who are you?”
“I am your guardian angel,” the voice answered.
“Oh yeah?” the man asked. “And where the hell were you when I got married?”
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yes its not a great ad – kinda lame – but who cares?
entering a world of branded content we do not want to scare brands away from doing anything not strictly PC.
backlash should be against the content being lame – not sexist.
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McDonald is obviously aware of the taboo he is breaking, like a child finding out that saying something rude will get attention. Yet he stops short of the sort of conduct that would have him arrested. What’s stopping him from going all the way (pardon the pun)? Cowardice, I suspect; the core of such bullying behaviour. To win an award for being cleaver, when all he did was be, at best insensitive, at worst mean-hearted, is a bad joke poorly told. Having said that, I don’t mind double entendra if it is cleaver. In fact, my wife said just yesterday that she likes a good double entendra, so for Christmas I’m gonna give her one.
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I just love the wanker comments by tbone and anonymous. I would have thought in 2009, advertising and corporate idiots can sell cars without usually typically boorish and unimaginative sexist advertising. Guess what men – everytime you use this to try and sell anything, there is a whole movement of women deliberately spreading the word to boycott your products.
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I would have thought in 2009, people would understand what the word ‘sexist’ means.
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So people are going to boycott toyotas over this storm in a tea cup….. yeah.. like THAT is gonna happen…. do people really sway away from products because of something that will be forgotten by the next scandal only days away??? i still use gillette products regardless of tigers impending divorce….coz i buy products… not advertising….
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Yawn.
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Advertising companies (sorry ‘agencies’ bullsh$t)
clearly, once again, and again, do NOT understand how to USE social media. Its another sales channel, not a great advertising medium for these types of campaigns.
anyway…who approved this?
And now when i walk down the street and see a Yaris, driven by a chick…i think naughty thoughts. hee hee.
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