Working as an extra in a movie shoot, you get to see all that goes into making a film, like how many people it takes to do all the hard, dirty, back-breaking work. Then, the star shows up at the last possible minute, the cameras roll, and movie magic is made. Then the star leaves and those same behind-the-scenes people get to clean up the set, go home and have a beer.
Toyota recently let its Web site visitors see the making of their see-saw Tundra commercial. You've seen it. Tundra pulls massive load up a ramp, ramp teeters over, Tundra stops massive load on the other side. The making-of video shows those little people working their butts off and the Tundra showing up for its action shot. Some of those hard-working little people, apparently, drive Ford trucks.
Robert Schoenberger at The Courier-Journal tried to reach officials at Toyota for comment, but his calls "were not immediately returned." Really?
This is actually the second time something like this has happened to Toyota, the first being when it was noticed the Tundra's new assembly plant in San Antonio, Texas was populated with F-150 work trucks during construction.
See the video here.
[Source: Courier-Journal]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
mark @ Mar 5th 2007 10:11AM
Guess real workers in the real world used Ford trucks!
The irony here made me laugh so hard this morning! Gee, I wonder why Toyota had "no comment", talk about a slap upside their heads. Great find autoblog!
Ekow @ Mar 5th 2007 10:13AM
I'm not really sure why anyone would expect any different...people who do construction work drive trucks...and the numbe one selling truck in america is the F150...big story!
matthew @ Mar 5th 2007 10:15AM
of course they use the truck that gets the job done...
Jeremy @ Mar 5th 2007 10:17AM
Hey there #2...pretty sure the Toyota Tundra has been being built for some time now. People keep saying how great those Tundras are, so why weren't they used??
Presto @ Mar 5th 2007 10:23AM
You can't contract labor out for a job and force them to go out and buy your product (like a $30K truck) for the 3 days they're working for you. Give me a break.
Bruce @ Mar 5th 2007 10:33AM
The production company for the commercial and the contractor(s) building the factory aren't Toyota themselves. It's irrelevant what THEY drive.
Not all employees drive products.
matthew @ Mar 5th 2007 10:38AM
#9
For something as important as a new full size truck commercial beating on the competition you think at least they would hide the competition doing all the work for them...
dejal @ Mar 5th 2007 10:42AM
Horrors!!!!
When the new Mississippi plant goes up, Toyota is only going to allow Toyota trucks on the property to
build the plant?
Morons.
If these people were employees of Toyota then there would be something to this.
Don't open a can of worms folks.
So, if there's video of the filming of a Ford or Chevy or Dodge commercial and you see the competition that means something?
This isn't the UAW that wouldn't let the National Guard troops park Non-American cars on their property.
http://www.detnews.com/2005/autosinsider/0503/15/A01-117640.htm
Jeremy @ Mar 5th 2007 10:42AM
What I'm saying is, if Toyota is SOOOOOOOOOO great and SOOOOOOOOOOOOO reliable then why weren't the workers "behind the scenes" driving them anyway? And #8, interesting that over the weekend after Iowa's huge snow storm, I didn't see a SINGLE import ANYWHERE plowing any snow, but I saw plenty of Fords and Chevys.
John Crouse @ Mar 5th 2007 10:46AM
#5... Because you can't get a long bed Tundra with
v-6 for $11,500 or a v-8 for around $13,500. You can with Ford Dealers after all the incentives, nudge nudge wink wink stuff you have to do.
when it comes to work trucks...the F-150 is just that..a cheap work truck. Hell for those prices it is disposable and they are so over produced it is just a matter of taking a wad of cash and stopping by a dealer like most large construction company's with huge warchests of money can do.
And yes those prices are real numbers from when i was looking into a work truck in NY.
Rick Lyon @ Mar 5th 2007 10:52AM
This has nothing to do with Ford or Toyota. THis is a construction company working for a production company. These guys drive whatever car they personally shelled out cash for, this is their daily personal transportation. So when these guys go and build sets for the Chevy commercial and then the Honda spot are we gonna jab about the same issue?
I wouldn't be bragging too much about Ford and their trucks given recent sales numbers and current status of Ford not to mention the super duty engine supplier issues.
Expertus Dico @ Mar 5th 2007 10:52AM
Toyota Commercial Bulletin:
Attention all Commercial extras who drive Ford, GM or Dodge pick-up trucks:
Although we do not expect you to make it on location given your current mode of transportation, we wish to invite you to observe how a real vehicle expected to actually work is built. We will offer free roadside in case you wish to be towed there. Free coffee and donuts!
Coachzed @ Mar 5th 2007 10:56AM
Perhaps, unlike the Big 3, Toyota didn't think it was proper to either a) require its employees to purchase and drive its products or b) penalize employees who don't buy its products by forcing them to park far away, or denying them lot access altogether.
RLFontano @ Mar 5th 2007 10:56AM
So many of those Real Truck owners have already begun trading their Fords, Chevys, and Dodges in for the New Tundra. Let's take a look at the work sites three years from now. I think you'll see a very different landscape.
Endurancevm @ Mar 5th 2007 10:57AM
Toyota had the old Tundra, use that to build stuff. It had the super-dee-duper sparkling uber iForce V8 with a whopping 3hp.
F-150 and Silverado are part of the fabric of this country. The Ridgeline and Tundra will never, ever de-throne the kings of Detroit.
Also, I'm pretty sure that no matter what contracting company you will see, they will either have Silverados or F150s.
F150, Silverado > Tundra > Titan > Ridgeline(doesnt really count...its a car)
Brian M @ Mar 5th 2007 10:59AM
I was about to add my 2cents on the sheer stupidity of this article- but I see that this has been covered nicely. AB- Maybe it's not too late to put a stop payment on Tutor's check, lol..
GM WHO? @ Mar 5th 2007 11:06AM
All these people in Fords showed up to see what they'd get on a trade-in!
Oliver Dueck @ Mar 5th 2007 11:16AM
Most irrelevant story ever.
chris @ Mar 5th 2007 11:33AM
#17, were you the women working for Toyota at NAIAS? She said practically the same thing to me when I was sitting inside a new Tundra. As I said at NAIAS to you, you need to build a better truck to beat F150/Silverado/Ram. The Tundra will never become a serious work truck as long as it is only offered in a half-ton uniform. Where are the heavy duty versions with giant diesel engines producing mountains of torque? They don't exist. Don't think anybody is going to trade in their dependable and ever-improving pick-ups (look at the new Silverado's awards) for something that isn't proven, is missing tons of fundamental versions and options compared to competitors, and is a Toyota (something that many pick-up owners may never consider).
Dub @ Mar 5th 2007 11:49AM
Toy's HD trucks are coming, just wait. I think Toy made a mistake by not bring out an HD Tundra from the start (of the new Tundra) though. I haven't heard anything on who they'll source the diesel motor from, but if you look at the pics of the 1/2-ton Tundra on Toy's site, there's a lot of CAT construction equipment in the pics. Could be a hint at things to come?? And if the rumors I've heard of the suspension prove to be solid (hint, hint), it could be a truck to be reckoned with, especially for GM.
That said, I'm a Dodge/Cummins fan myself. And while I think the new Tundra will prove to be a good truck, I don't think it'll make a significant dent in Big 3 truck sales. Nissan will probably be hurt the most.