Skip to Content
Streetsblog Los Angeles home
Streetsblog Los Angeles home
Log In
Ad Nauseam

Ad Nauseam: Toyota’s (Passive-Aggressive) Ransom Note to America

Toyota wants you to know that it's here for you. And not just as a
car maker, as the company explains in this spot, ironically entitled
"Community."

Like GM before them, Toyota wants to make sure you realize just how much their company means to you. Here's our voice-over:

"We acknowledge you are coming to despise automobiles,but your nation depends on our industry for so many jobs that, even ifwe only manufactured cardboard cut-out cars that you had to carry downyour few remaining walkable Main Streets, you'd still need us,America."

Accompanying the ad is the aggressively cloying and patently manipulative "Beyond Cars"
web site --
which if nothing else should serve as an irresistible culture-jamming
target. What do we see, Toyota? For starters, we see a world where your product doesn't kill people.

And you? What do you see?

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog Los Angeles

SGV Connect 144: Annual AMA with Foothill Transit

It's the most wonderful podcast of the year

December 19, 2025

Friday Round-Up: Speed Cameras, River Path, Memorial Crosswalk, and More

Metro releases L.A. River path draft plan for comment, "large asphalt repair" video, crosswalk memorial, and speed camera programs coming soon to Glendale and Long Beach

December 19, 2025

They Came to Mourn. LAPD Came in Force. Now Two Men Could Face Serious Consequences Because LAPD Won’t Acknowledge They Were Wrong.

The July 7 vigil for Kenny Hall had been peaceful until LAPD arrived and began pushing people around. When peacemaker Shamond "Lil AD" Bennett tried to intervene and de-escalate LAPD, officer Evan Mott assaulted him. When Dontreal Washington protested, officers punched him in the face. Then LAPD arrested them both.

December 18, 2025

Thursday’s Headlines

ICE, crosswalks, LB & Glendale speed cameras, LAPD, bike lanes, Councilmember Lee, Tesla, car-nage, and more

December 18, 2025

LAPD Shuts Down Volunteers Repainting Nadir Gavarrete Memorial at Koreatown Intersection

At the deadly 4th/New Hampshire intersection, LAPD shut down Crosswalks Collective L.A.'s unpermitted safe streets work

December 17, 2025
See all posts