BMW and Toyota targets of a guerrilla marketing campaign by activists

Their timing coincides with the 100th anniversary of the European Motor Show in Brussels, Belgium. The show runs from14 to 22 January.

The advertising billboards – each with #BanFossilAds – carry headlines such as “Let’s Ruin Everything” (Toyota), “Toyota Land Crusher”, and “When We Test Our Emissions, The Test Dummy – Is You” (BMW).

Using advertising to greenwash their public image

In a video released on Twitter, the Brandalism activist group claimed that the reason Toyota and BMW were singled out was because they were ranked amongst the worst companies in the world for lobbying against climate policies. “[They] are using advertising to greenwash their public image whilst lobbying hard against climate regulations,” Brandalism said.

“Activists are using the action to demand more robust policies from governments to regulate the advertising of environmentally harmful products and prevent misleading green claims from big polluters,” the UK-based marketing industry publication, The Drum, reported.

“The Europe-wide action comes at a time of growing international momentum behind the idea of introducing tobacco-style advertising bans on climate-wrecking products, such as fossil fuels and SUVs. 

“In France, for example, car advertisements now require a caveat encouraging consumers to walk, cycle or take public transport wherever possible as part of new regulation due to come into force in March 2022.”

Environmental activists have targeted industries such as banking and aviation in the recent past, also accusing them of greenwashing.