Ads for Toyota SUVs are banned in the UK for environmental reasons; understand

The regulator banned two advertisements, first released in a 2020 campaign: a poster and a video shown on social media, where dozens of Toyota Hilux cars drive through off-road terrain, including a river, while a voiceover describes the scene as “one of nature’s true spectacles”. 

The vehicles then enter a road and pass through an urban area, before a lone car pulls into the garage, with the voiceover continuing: “Toyota Hilux. I was born to wander.” The poster shows two SUVs in the foreground, followed by a swarm of others crossing rocky terrain in a cloud of poego to.

Ads tolerated environmentally harmful behavior

The complaint was filed by Adfree Cities, a network of groups that try to remove advertising from public spaces. In it, the entity claimed that the advertisements tolerated behavior that was harmful to the environment and called for an end to advertising products and services with a high carbon content.

The ASA ruled that the advertisements “condoned the use of vehicles in a way that disregarded their impact on nature and the environment… were not designed with a sense of responsibility to society”.

Adfree Cities co-director Veronica Wignall said: “These ads epitomize Toyota’s complete disregard for nature and the climate by featuring huge, highly polluting vehicles driving at high speeds through rivers and wild pastures.”

Toyota defended the Hilux campaign by arguing that the vehicle was designed for the toughest environments, with those working in industries such as agriculture and forestry having a genuine need for all-terrain vehicles. He didn't portray any of those workers in the commercial, but he said it shouldn't be necessary.

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