I think oil and petrol getting more scarce will be a huge problem to car owners in the future.

I don't see how - assuming this joke is even remotely funny - this commercial is helpful to Fresno. Someone on mindhub suggested that this commercial was somehow good for Fresno. I never realized that a commercial which bashes our home could actually be good for us.

This isn't some commercial that points fun at some characteristic or foible of Fresno. Instead, this commercial states unequivocally that Fresno sucks. Which is fine. Toyota is free to think that. My point was, why would anyone in Fresno give Toyota their money? Toyota hardly has a monopoly on automobiles and it might make more sense to consider purchasing from companies that don't rip on your home town.

Do whatever you want with your money, but remember that the most significant voting you will ever do is with your dollar. You want souless business that uproot and move a little further north every few years, go shop at Riverpark (or even Champlain now). You want to support businesses that openly bash your home, buy a Toyota.

But as usual we have Mayor Horses Behind and Council Gurl Jr. moaning and throwing hissy fits.
They said something bad about Fresno.
Sniff
Sniff
Boo Hoo!
Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Yes, I agree the rollercoaster will make Fresno a destination for some of the other towns in the area. But, to me, that makes it the "low-budget tourist attraction" of the commercial.

I don't know what you are so hyped up about. As you said, "In reality, most people have never been to Fresno"--that's True! But also, most people would NEVER have any reason to come here. Yes, some may fly in to go to Yosemite...but what will they see? The airport, a stretch of McKinley (soooo glamorous) and 41 south. They won't stop and SEE anything about Fresno. Besides, Yosemite is NOT Fresno. We just happen to be the largest town that is near it.

Fresno has LONG had a reputation. What has been done locally to change it? NOT much. Instead of doing anything to save the dying heart of the city (and all of the other decay areas around it), those in charge just keep OKing development further and further north. Oooo, we now have nice shopping areas. Big deal. Lots of cities have lots of shopping areas.

My point is that, instead of getting outraged...we should just be able to take a joke. As bad as that "Fresno" mini-series was (and it came about because there was some ranking that put us dead LAST in the "Best Places to Live in the U.S." if I recall correctly), EVERYONE in town was very EXCITED about it (before it actually aired and we all found out it royally sucked) even though we KNEW it would be making fun of us. We survived. Fresno is still Fresno (albeit one with a fancy new shopping area and a slightly improved airport). Just have a laugh and let it go...

This type of thinking is why Fresno will never chage for the better. We're so concerned with any publicity that negative publicity is okay. In reality, most people have never been to Fresno and think it exists somewhere off I-5. Commercials like this reinforce the image that we suck.

The reality is there is some tourism in Fresno. For anyone flying to visit Yosemite, the odds are you are coming through Fresno. Commercials like this give someone another reason not to stay in Fresno.

I don't know that a used roller coaster will make up a tourist attracting that will attract people from all over the country, but if it gets people from around the County to spend some time in Fresno, isn't it doing its job?

I thought the commercial was inventive (as far as commercials go) and the crack at Fresno being a "low-budget tourist attraction" was funny. For one thing, it got our name out there and for another, I wasn't aware Fresno WAS a tourist attraction of any sort (low or high-budget)! So, being a low-budget tourist attraction is sort of a step up in my book.

Come on! I mean look at all of the attention the crappy "Fresno" mini-series has been getting on mindhub, people saying they'd love to see it despite how bad it is--and how we should be able to laugh at ourselves. OR the whole thing about the "new" USED rollercoaster we are getting for Granite Park and how some think it will make up a small tourist attraction---we're living up to the Toyota Prius commercial's prophecy! Ha! I think that is too funny!

Get over it!

Regardless of the same-week apology, Fresnans and former-Fresnans should consider alternatives when it comes to purchasing their next automobile. Granted, buying a car is a rare event that happens only a few times a decade. However, we can convince our friends and relatives to at least look at Toyota's competitors if they are in the market for a new car.

Of course, this might only hurt local dealers but is there even such a thing anymore? Even though it might not make any appreciable difference in Toyota's earnings, we'd at least being defending our own pride for once. It beats being "trash-canned" by other cities.

yeah, well, I hadn't *planned* on buying a Toyota. But now I'll pass it along. Toyota-Cheap-Shot ain't a' gonna get MY business....nor the biz
of my family or relations [ewww....they be trembling....] .
Oh well. We do what we can...and hope it be honored.