Aftershocks from March’s earthquake and tsunami in Japan will reportedly hit home in the advertising world in the coming months, due to Japanese auto manufacturers’ supply shortages. And the new victims will be the bottom lines at newspapers, as well as TV and radio stations.

CNBC reports Toyota, Nissan and Honda dealerships are drastically cutting local advertising budgets due to their small supply of new cars to sell during the summer.

The story quotes an unnamed dealer who says “I’m not gonna spend a ton of money to get people into my showroom if I don’t have enough cars to sell them.”

National ad campaigns will still be in effect, but Toyota acknowledged it will decrease its ad spend by an unspecified amount.

What’s your favorite so-bad-it’s good local car commercial?

Toyota and Honda Dealers Cut Summer Ads [CNBC]

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