"We Never Meant To Embarrass Toyota" GM Says

[Guest Josh]

You've heard of the wedding crashers. How 'bout the party crashers? Toyota Motor Corp., riding high and living large thanks to its status as the most profitable automaker in world history, spent $800,000 to rent out Chicago's Millennium Park Thursday fora VIP-only dealer event. Since the park opened a little more tha a year ago, tourists have flocked to see its fountains, Frank Gehry architecture and Cloud Gate, a 110-ton, beanshaped stainless-steel sculpture. Luckily, General MOtors Corp. came to the rescue of bummed-out sightseers shut out of the park. A cadre of GM reps showed up and handed out Fisher-Price slide viewers with images of the Cloud Gate and the Jay Pritzker Pavilion. What's more, GM used more than 40 shiny Cadillacs, Hummers and Chevys to give tourists rides to other popular designations in the Windy City and provided free tickets to Navy Pier attractions and the Museum of Contemporary Art. Toyota didn't appreciate the intrustion by their (slightly) larger rival. GM stopped giving the free rides at Toyota's request in the early afternoon. "Our intent was never to embarrass Toyota," said GM spokesman Todd Carstensen.

[4gm]

Is this true? It sounds like something from The Onion. If it is true, I have to say, it's gorilla marketing at it's finest.

[Newbiewar]

You've heard of the wedding crashers. How 'bout the party crashers?

Toyota MOtor Corp., ridingf high and living large thanks to its status as the most profitable automaker in world history, spent $800,000 to rent out Chicago's Millennium Park Thursday fora  VIP-only dealer event. Since the park opened a little more tha a year ago, tourists have flocked to see its foutnains, Frank Gehry architecture and Cloud Gate, a 110-ton, beanshaped stainless-steel sculpture. Luckily, General MOtors Corp. came to the rescue of bummed-out sightseers shut out of the park. A cadre of GM reps showed up and handed out Fisher-Price slide viewers with images of the Cloud Gate and the Jay Pritzker Pavilion. What's more, GM used more than 40 shiny CAdillacs, Hummers and Chevys to give tourists rides to other popular designations in the Windy City and provided free tickets to Navy Pier attractions and the Museum of Contemporary Art. Toyota didn't appreciate the intrustion by their (slightly) larger rival. GM stopped giving the free rides at Toyota's request in the early afternoon. "Our intent was never to embarrass Toyota," said GM spokesman Todd Carstensen.

[post="12619"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

LMFAO sure it wasn't... Just to get a bit of attention... Like this artical :) :Toyota: :booyah:

[Newbiewar]

LMFAO sure it wasn't...  Just to get a bit of attention... Like this artical :) :Toyota:  :booyah:

[post="12622"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

I'd like to see that quote on more headlines... accross the country that would be awesome, cause those are fighting words and quite frankly GM will win as seen by the party they crashed

[Guest Josh]

It was in todays Detroit News & Free Press. In the Business section. It's true.

[4gm]

Ha ha. I love it. Pretty clever on GM's part.

[Dsuupr]

Now that is funny. One wonders why GM actually stopped. They had no reason to.

[Drew Dowdell]

This is great! More please GM!

[fordrules]

Hahah toyoyta!

[Mike The Canadian]

Hahahhaha sweet! That just made my day!

[Cory Wolfe]

:lol: ...Poor Toyota.

[Petra]

That is hilarious, and very, very clever. I'd like to give whoever came up with this idea a warm handshake, and a recomendation to be promoted to President of GM's marketing department. They need more ideas like this to erase the perception gap.

[pow]

Now if Toyota did that outside an Autoshow in Motion...

[Flybrian]

Now if Toyota did that outside an Autoshow in Motion...

[post="12672"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

But ASIM events don't shut down normally-functioning attractions for a private party. Therin lies the difference.

[nzr]

Haha! :Toyota: :chevy: :metal: Edited September 11, 2005 by nzr

[Cremazie]

AH yeah! just what I needed to read today.. that is awesome! Somebody in GM should get a raise for that!

[ocnblu]

That is too cool. Love it! B)

[Flybrian]

Oh yeah, almost forgot... Dear Toyota, Get over it. Maybe people don't appreciate being shout out of an event for car dealers of all people. Rock on, GM.

[frogger]

Damn $800K to rent a spot for a party for one day?? Must be nice to have that kind of money to splurge.

[Cortazzo]

This is beautiful, and to think that Toyota was going to RAISE their prices on new cars to HELP GM out. Toyota is such a compassionate company... java script:emoticon(':P') smilie

[IbuyGM]

Prayers do come true

[daves87rs]

Wonderful, things like that should happen more often...

[caddycruiser]

Why'd they stop? I would have had a couple of my legal people on hand and just kept on going and going to further the story and have more people impressed by what GM was doing to make their visit better. http://www.cheersandgears.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/AH-HA_wink.gif

Either way, that was a GREAT move for once :booyah:

[Northstar]

They should do this all the time. Whenever Toyota, Honda, or Nissan plan some big party and shut down some public place, GM should step in and take tourists elsewhere.

[Guest Josh]

Why'd they stop?  I would have had a couple of my legal people on hand and just kept on going and going to further the story and have more people impressed by what GM was doing to make their visit better. http://www.cheersandgears.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/AH-HA_wink.gif

Either way, that was a GREAT move for once :booyah:

[post="12824"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

I'm not sure people understand the point of this.

Why continue? Because stopping it gave them the opportunity to say exactly this and give people exactly this impression.

Continuing the rides would have gone under the radar. Instead, stopping and saying (actually, proving) it was per Toyotas wishes, then following up with the quote in the subject line, GM proved their point.

Toyota what?

[Teh Ricer Civic!]

what does it concern toyota if GM was giving out free stuff outside the park?

[Guest Josh]

It shouldnt concern Toyota at all. The grounds were public, however GM did it to make a statement on it all. "Don't step in our backyards and not expect a reaction." Granholm will be voted out because #1) She paved the very steep tax cut way for Toyota to come to Michigan. Bye Bye Granny.

[knightfan26917]

*shakes head*

I heard about this the other day ... I still can't believe Toyota had the nerve to rent the place to keep regular visitors out....

But, of course, no word on this on the local TV newscasts...that I know of, anyway....


Cort, "Mr MC" / "Mr Road Trip", 31swm/pig valve/pacemaker
MC:family.IL.guide.future = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/
Models.HO = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/trainroom.html
chdQB = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/quilt.html
"There's so much I need to say to you" ... Phil Collins ... 'Take A Look At Me Now / Against All Odds'

[Newbiewar]

Now that is funny.  One wonders why GM actually stopped.  They had no reason to.

[post="12633"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

to say exactly what they said, that was a very well phrased sentance, and its fighting words that Toyota provoked and cannot answer, without getting into a one on one battle that publicly Toyota has already lost.

[Teh Ricer Civic!]

while i find humor in this, i honestly do not think that this will alter the general populaces stance on Toyota

[johnnyangelb]

I'm loving it!

[Dsuupr]

while i find humor in this, i honestly do not think that this will alter the general populaces stance on Toyota

[post="12891"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Who cares, it's funny. It is too bad the news media didn't do more with this one. With Katrina after effects, things like this just aren't covered right now.

[boblutzfan]

This is great marketing. I too wish this had gotten more media attention.

[The O.C.]

While it's a funny story, companies (auto, non-auto) do this kind of thing all the time (rent out a public venue for a private event.) It's nothing new....and certainly nothing "bad" that Toyota did.... In fact, GM did the same thing earlier this year. When I was back at the Detroit Auto Show, I wanted to go to the GM Heritage Museum. I was told it was closed on the day I wanted to go because they closed it for a "private event" for dealers. I was PISSED that I traveled to Detroit (for the show in the first place however) but couldn't even get into the Museum

[Flybrian]

The GM Heritage Center is owned by GM, no?

[Sixty8panther]

Sounds like the time I printed out an article on the Sept.11 donations by Auto manufacturers. GM, Ford & DCX all donated millions while most Japanese manufacturers gave ZIP. So much for the Camry/Accord is made in the USA crap. Toyota and Honda gave esp. little considering their profitable sales in the USA. I printed out a few dozen of these articles and put them under the windshields of Camrys & Corollas at the local Toyota Dealership one night.

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

LMFAO!!!! To hell with Toyota and what they do and don't appreciate. And GM should make no apologies. GM needs to do MORE gorilla tactics like this! God knows Toyota sure takes every opportunity to, especially pertaining to GM, their biggest target. Besides, Toyota shut these people out, why is it any of their business what they do. In fact, why is this matter any of Toyota's business in the first place? It's a FREE COUNTRY and Toyota didn't rent the people, they rented the park. You know what, to hell with Toyota and it angers me beyond belief that GM is apologizing for nothing. GM should've NEVER stopped giving the rides. Apparently Toyota can embarass GM and hinder them in every way possible (including through the media) yet GM cannot give people rides in GM cars in public places. As far as the media is concerned and it's coverage... They would have just made GM out to be the bad guy anyway, so why bother?

[capriceman]

It shouldnt concern Toyota at all. The grounds were public, however GM did it to make a statement on it all.

"Don't step in our backyards and not expect a reaction."

Granholm will be voted out because #1) She paved the very steep tax cut way for Toyota to come to Michigan.

Bye Bye Granny.

[post="12861"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

:angry: :angry: :angry: DONT GET ME STARTED WITH GRANHOLM THAT B*TCH SHOULD OF NEVER BEEN IN OFFICE SHE LOST US SO MUCH MONEY. ALSO SHE EXPORTED JOBS TO ANOTHER COUNTRY TO AND OTHER STATES. AND WITH TRAILOR LISCENSE PLATES WHAT A IDIOT I BOUGHT 2 PLATES FOR TRAILORS THAT DONT EXIST (YET) SO I WONT HAVE TO PAY WHEN THEY GO BACK. i like how she got booed when the pistons had there parade. :) ITS NOT LIKE I DONT LIKE WOMEN IN OFFICE THERE GOOD BUT SHE IS FU**IN OUT OF CONTROL!!!!

but is was going to post this article lol. but yeah it does make a point saying that toyota doesnt want to see GM cars outside of "there" park/seminar thing im supprised they didnt get toyotas out their doing the same thing lol that was great when i read that even my freind that works at ford said the office was laughing this mornig about it. lol

[turbo200]

This is the area they are talking about, in case anybody wanted to see it....I love my imagehosting account...

[turbo200]

i don't know that it's necessarily a waste, like the article states, that park is a huge tourist attraction, and is helping to make Chicago even more vibrant and grand. The downtown will continue to expand and become more and more popularized. PRetty soon it will stretch into the worst areas, and convert them in the process to nice areas.

[Flybrian]

Sounds like the time I printed out an article on the Sept.11 donations by Auto manufacturers. GM, Ford & DCX all donated millions while most Japanese manufacturers gave ZIP. So much for the Camry/Accord is made in the USA crap.

[post="12988"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Toyota, Honda, BMW, and just about every other major corporation doing business in the US donated in some form. I don't like Toyota and Honda either, but, damnit, its a fact they helped out.

Doesn't matter if I like their cars or not, they donated and should thusly be commended as all other benefactors have.

[frogger]

I really dislike the whole comparing charitable donations thing.. I wish they would all just say nothing or just leave it at "they donated". Then again I hate shows like Extreme House Makeover too, doing charity for the camera and ratings they wouldn't be doing otherwise.

[knightfan26917]

In fact, GM did the same thing earlier this year.  When I was back at the Detroit Auto Show, I wanted to go to the GM Heritage Museum.  I was told it was closed on the day I wanted to go because they closed it for a "private event" for dealers.

Hmmm.... First, the Heritage Museum is owned by GM.... And, second, I coulda sworn that the GM Heritage Museum/Center isn't open to the public anyway....


Cort, "Mr MC" / "Mr Road Trip", 31swm/pig valve/pacemaker
MC:family.IL.guide.future = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/
Models.HO = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/trainroom.html
"I'm not the only person with these things in mind" ... Linkin Park ... 'Somewhere I Belong'

[The O.C.]

Hmmm....  First, the Heritage Museum is owned by GM....  And, second, I coulda sworn that the GM Heritage Museum/Center isn't open to the public anyway....
Cort, "Mr MC" / "Mr Road Trip", 31swm/pig valve/pacemaker
MC:family.IL.guide.future = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/
Models.HO = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/trainroom.html
"I'm not the only person with these things in mind" ... Linkin Park ... 'Somewhere I Belong'

[post="13478"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Why, YES....it IS open to the public. I was told that next time I come to Detroit, I just have to call the museum ahead of time, and schedule a "visit" of the museum. Anyone can visit....whether you work for GM or not....

And, YES....it IS owned by GM.....but you didn't get my POINT..! Owned by GM or not, it is a public venue....and was closed to the public due to an event that was being held there for dealers.....

[Guest Josh]

Why, YES....it IS open to the public.  I was told that next time I come to Detroit, I just have to call the museum ahead of time, and schedule a "visit" of the museum.  Anyone can visit....whether you work for GM or not....

And, YES....it IS owned by GM.....but you didn't get my POINT..!  Owned by GM or not, it is a public venue....and was closed to the public due to an event that was being held there for dealers.....

[post="13633"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Considering the fact you have to CALL AHEAD you would have KNOWN AHEAD OF TIME before attempting to go to the Museum.

[NOS2006]

"(slightly) larger rival" LMAO!

[The O.C.]

Considering the fact you have to CALL AHEAD you would have KNOWN AHEAD OF TIME before attempting to go to the Museum.

[post="13636"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Uh, Josh....we DID call ahead....

And that's when they told us it was closed for the event.....

[Northstar]

If the museum is owned by GM then they can close it at any time they want. The difference is Toyota didn't own it, and apparantly didn't make any sort of warning to tourists that it would be closed.

[sciguy_0504]

The question isn't "why did Toyota rent out the park and stop visitors from coming." It's "why did the city of Chicago allow Toyota to rent out the park and stop visitors from coming." The answer: money.

[Flybrian]

Uh, Josh....we DID call ahead....

And that's when they told us it was closed for the event.....

[post="13893"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

There's a distinct difference between the two, namely the expectation of being able to freely walk into a totally public space as opposed to not being able to visit a museum that's operated on a quasi-appointment basis.