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Who is the girl in the Frank Toyota commercials?

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At the end of the Frank Toyota commercials that have been airing in the mornings on KOGO, there is a little girl who knocks on some sort of wood and asks, "Is that you, Frank?" Who is this girl? Why did they put her at the end of the commercial? What is the significance of her question? Is it some sort of metaphysical thing?

-- Dennis, Sorrento Mesa

Metaphysical? Like the elusive "dealer prep"? Whatever that is -- the bill for the salesman's personal trainer? Tailor? Hair stylist? How prepped does a dealer have to get to sell us a car? Despite my offer to buy a Toyota, Frank head honcho Jim Fornaca played coy. "Gee, I'm not sure anybody really remembers the whole story, it was so long ago." Yeah, sure, Jim. The tag line, with the sound of someone knocking on a door, and a woman (not a kid) asking, "Is that you, Frank?" has been used in their commercials for a long time. The Frank she's inquiring about is Frank Fornaca, Jim's uncle. He once ran the company and was on hand one day back in 1978 or so when a radio spot was being produced. What started out as a private joke in the studio between Frank and an ad agency or production person became an official part of the commercial. Beyond that tidbit, the collective Fornaca memory grows strangely hazy. So I guess we're free to make up our own story. Did Uncle Frank once sell cars door to door?

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San Diego Reader 2024 Music & Arts Issue

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Matt-o-Matic:

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At the end of the Frank Toyota commercials that have been airing in the mornings on KOGO, there is a little girl who knocks on some sort of wood and asks, "Is that you, Frank?" Who is this girl? Why did they put her at the end of the commercial? What is the significance of her question? Is it some sort of metaphysical thing?

-- Dennis, Sorrento Mesa

Metaphysical? Like the elusive "dealer prep"? Whatever that is -- the bill for the salesman's personal trainer? Tailor? Hair stylist? How prepped does a dealer have to get to sell us a car? Despite my offer to buy a Toyota, Frank head honcho Jim Fornaca played coy. "Gee, I'm not sure anybody really remembers the whole story, it was so long ago." Yeah, sure, Jim. The tag line, with the sound of someone knocking on a door, and a woman (not a kid) asking, "Is that you, Frank?" has been used in their commercials for a long time. The Frank she's inquiring about is Frank Fornaca, Jim's uncle. He once ran the company and was on hand one day back in 1978 or so when a radio spot was being produced. What started out as a private joke in the studio between Frank and an ad agency or production person became an official part of the commercial. Beyond that tidbit, the collective Fornaca memory grows strangely hazy. So I guess we're free to make up our own story. Did Uncle Frank once sell cars door to door?

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