Truffula Buffs Rebuff Mazda: The Lorax Selling Cars? Enough Is Enough!
If you read Dr. Seuss's The Lorax growing up or you read it to your kids today, then the sight of Mazda trotting out the protector of Truffula trees to hawk cars may have stirred deep feelings of revulsion. Our friend the Zozo has a petition on Change.org for you:
In these advertisements Mazda and Universal claim that a new automobile is “Certified Truffula Tree Friendly” and imply an endorsement of their product by the cherished title character of “The Lorax.” By airing these advertisements, Mazda and Universal have shamelessly turned a character who has inspired millions of children to care about their environment into a car salesman. Cars–even ones that pollute a little less–are neither kid-friendly nor good for the environment.
We are calling on Mazda, Universal Pictures, and their partners to immediately remove any advertising that associates “The Lorax” with automobiles from all forms of media: print, television, radio, movie trailers, the internet, merchandising, etc.
And now, a few more revolting reasons to sign the petition:
Ben Fried started as a Streetsblog reporter in 2008 and led the site as editor-in-chief from 2010 to 2018. He lives in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn, with his wife.
Streetsblog has migrated to a new comment system. New commenters can register directly in the comments section of any article. Returning commenters: your previous comments and display name have been preserved, but you'll need to reclaim your account by clicking "Forgot your password?" on the sign-in form, entering your email, and following the verification link to set a new password — this is required because passwords could not be carried over during the migration. For questions, contact tips@streetsblog.org.
The Mamdani administration will extend the Livingston Street busway west of its current terminal at Smith Street, freeing an existing bus lane from a morass of placard abuse.
And about half of trade waste trucks in the city have been exempted because "the design or operation of the vehicle" makes it too challenging to install the after-market safety feature. Huh?
Two decades after a major rezoning, the city should continue to emphasize pedestrians, cyclists and bus riders in Downtown Brooklyn in order to make the best possible version of the neighborhood as a residential and job center.
