Mazda recently launched an advertising campaign tied in with the new film based on Dr. Seuss' "The Lorax," but the marketing may have backfired due to environmental concerns.
The original story of "The Lorax" was focused on a very pro-environmental message. However, the animated creature can now be seen stumping for Mazda's CX-5 SUV. Although it's technically a crossover and gets pretty good fuel economy compared to some of its competitors, more than one person has pointed out the irony at play, reports the Los Angeles Times.
Funnyman Stephen Colbert raised the issue on his show, taking Mazda and "The Lorax" producers to task for the product tie-in. He ended his segment with a Seussian rhyme: "They're easy to make, if you only take/all the truffula tufts off the trees by the lake/they're comfy and thick as the thick ironies/of The Lorax and Seuss hawking big SUVs."
Meanwhile, activists have taken to Twitter and popularized the "#savelorax" hashtag to protest both the Mazda commercial and the abundant amount of other Lorax product tie-ins.
One way to keep your car environmentally-friendly is through regular auto maintenance. Several mechanical problems, such as burning oil, can lead to an increase in harmful emissions. Fortunately, regular oil changes and tune-ups can help avoid these issues.