Used EV dealer rejects ASA complaint as ‘woke dribble’

Used car dealer Hamilton Electric Vehicles has removed a Facebook advertisement followed a complaint to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) which was upheld.

But the dealership wasn’t happy – calling the complainant a ‘muppet’ and told the ASA it was ‘not interested in entertaining this woke dribble.’

“Over 3,200 people have liked, seen or commented on the post and not one single person has taken exception to it, except this muppet,” the dealership said in its response to the ASA Complaints Board.

The sponsored Facebook post advertisement for Hamilton Electric Vehicles was in the complainant’s feed. The advertisement included a photo of the entrance to the business which displayed three COVID related posters. At the top was a “The Freedom and Rights Coalition” poster in the style of the Government Unite Against COVID-19 posters. 

This poster had the text “All welcome – Vaxed & Unvaxed. Our business does not discriminate. Unite against Discrimination”. The name of the Advertiser “The Freedom & Rights Coalition New Zealand” was written on the bottom left of the poster. The poster included an image of two black figures in a circle waving. The background for the image was horizontal yellow and white stripes. 

The poster was next to the official Unite Against Covid poster, which is used for scanning in at the business. In the post, to the right of the photo was the text: “Friday feels (heart and car emojis) – freedom is a thought expressed through our actions, fear and division does not lurk in our EV world. (heart emoji) – sharing a COVID-19 update.” 

The complainant was concerned the advertisement was misleading because it implied the Government supported the message that vaccinated and unvaccinated people were equally welcome at the Hamilton Electric Vehicles retail premises. It also used government official Covid branding without permission. 

The ASA Complaints Board agreed the likely consumer takeout of the advertisement was Hamilton Electric Vehicles does not support the use of vaccine passports and will welcome vaccinated and unvaccinated people alike into its business premises. 

It said the advertisement was misleading because it included an image of a poster which was visually very similar to the Government Unite Against Covid advertisements and this could be confusing for consumers when it appeared in their feed as a sponsored post. 

The ASA Complaints Board ruled that the complaint was upheld and the advertisement was removed.