Toyota Cancels Tokyo Olympics TV Ads, CEO Won’t Attend Opening Ceremony

[Zeedox]

Toyota Cancels Tokyo Olympics TV Ads in Japan, CEO Won’t Attend Opening Ceremony

The decision reflects the deep unpopularity of the Tokyo Olympics in the host country of Japan, where residents fear that staging the Games will further fuel a rise in delta variant COVID-19 infections.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

Toyota Motor Corp., a top corporate sponsor for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, has decided to pull all of its Olympics-related TV commercials in Japan.

Japanese media speculated Monday that the decision was made because the car manufacturer fears association with the troubled Summer Games, which are deeply unpopular in Japan, may tarnish its brand rather than burnish it.

“The Olympics is becoming an event that has not gained the public’s understanding,” a Toyota public relations executive surnamed Nagata told Japan’s daily Yomiuri newspaper Monday. The executive added that Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda and other senior executives would not be attending the Tokyo Summer Olympics opening ceremony on July 23.

 

[Gomez Adams]

The whole thing has been a disaster. How is Japan only 16% vaccinated? Serious question.

 

[Zeedox]

The possibility of Japanese brands bailing from the Games has been a topic of speculation for weeks thanks to the sour feelings many Japanese residents hold towards the event.

I don't think the Japanese really want it right now either....

 

[Hugo Stiglitz]

Toyota is still catching all kinds of shit here by continuing to give money to republicans that voted against the election results. They're ad department is a fucking mad house of incompetence.

 

[Gomez Adams]

I don't think the Japanese really want it right now either....

They were just talking about that on the news. Seems most Japanese are of the opinion that they can't hold it safely so why bother holding it at all.

But once again it's the money talking. They've spent over a billion dollars so they'll do pretty much anything to try to recoup what they can.

 

[Gomez Adams]

This thing (the Olympics) is turning into a complete debacle. Dozens of athletes are already out for testing positive for covid. Others are dropping out for fear of getting covid.

It's going to be an Olympics with a big * next to it because some of the world's greatest athletes couldn't compete in it.