This is Why Toyota Will Not Be Running Any Ads at the Olympics

Not only will automaker Toyota not run Olympics ads, but its CEO won’t attend the opening ceremony either.

According to a company spokesman, Toyota will not be releasing any commercials related to the Tokyo Games, but will instead opt to run its “regular” ads in Japan.

Representative Hideaki Honma said Toyota was not “canceling” any Olympics-related commercials and that none were planned in the first place.

Honma also confirmed to CNN Business that CEO Akio Toyoda would not be attending the Olympics opening ceremony.

“We wanted to refrain from attending while people who were looking forward to the event cannot go now,” Honma said.

The decision by organizers to not allow any spectators, because of public health concerns was made recently. The Games will be held under a state of emergency due to the coronavirus pandemic.
There have been ongoing protests to cancel the Games and thousands of volunteers are pulling out.

Tokyo 2020 spokesman Masa Takaya said he “wasn’t aware” of Toyota’s news but acknowledged that Olympic sponsors “must have been struggling to support” the Games this year, particularly amid “mixed public sentiment.”

“In that respect, there must be a decision by each company in terms of … how they should be able to convey their messages to public audiences from [their] own corporate [perspectives],” he said to reporters.

Toyota is one of the Olympics’ top sponsors next to major global brands like Coca-Cola and Visa.

Organizers will review the decision to allow stakeholders into the Olympic stadium during the opening ceremony, which is slated for July 23.

Disclaimer: We have no position in any of the companies mentioned and have not been compensated for this article.