Written by: Katie Scott, business reporter
Brandalism - a Swiss environmental activist organisation - has taken control of 400 advertising billboards and bus stops in Belgium, France, Germany and England.
The group is targeting the automotive industry for greenwashing as the European Motor Show opens in Brussels. “The ads were designed by artists including Lindsay Grime, Michelle Tylicki, Merny Wernz, Fokawolf, Matt Bonner and Darren Cullen and feature images of Toyota and BMW vehicles, such as the Toyota Land Cruiser and the BMW X5 and X7 SUVs,” writes The Drum.
The campaign centres upon the message that advertising for the highest polluting vehicles should be banned. This is supported by other environmental action groups including Greenpeace International.
Tona Merrimen, a spokesperson for Brandalism, told the press: “Toyota and BMW use slick marketing campaigns to promote oversized SUV models that clog up urban neighbourhoods. Electric SUVs are no solution – they’re too big for most parking spaces and their tall bumper size and excessive weight present an increased risk to pedestrians, especially children, involved in road collisions.”
The activist group has launched campaigns against the banking and aviation sectors in the past.
