AFP | London, UK
Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com
Britain’s advertising watchdog said on Wednesday it had banned an advertisement for Toyota’s four-wheel-drive vehicles, saying it promoted “irresponsible behavior” towards the environment.
A paid Facebook post and a poster ad for the Japanese company’s Hilux sports utility vehicle showed a line of SUVs driving off-road through dust before merging onto a paved road.
A complaint has been lodged with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) over the ‘Born to Roam’ ad, which says it ‘condones behavior that is harmful to the environment’.
The ASA upheld the appeal despite Toyota’s claim that it was “committed to environmental change” and explained its rollout of hybrid and electric vehicles.
“The advertisements presented and condoned the use of vehicles in a manner that disregarded their impact on nature and the environment,” the watchdog group said in its ruling.
“As a result, they did not prepare with a sense of social responsibility…The advertisement should not be re-published in the form complained of.”
It also directed Toyota to “ensure that future marketing communications do not contain any content that could encourage environmentally irresponsible behavior.”
The accusation was made by Adfree Cities, a network of groups across the UK concerned about the impact of businesses’ out-of-home advertising.
Ad-Free City called the ruling a “groundbreaking move” but called for further regulation.
Co-director Veronica Wignall said: “SUVs are being marketed with the false promise of rugged adventure, exploiting their image of the natural world.”
“The reality is that SUVs are destroying nature, polluting the air, congesting cities and causing tragic loss of life.
“While we welcome this ruling, restrictions on SUV advertising alone are not enough. SUV advertising should be stopped completely.”