Activists Fooled Media with Fake Toyota Press Release Criticizing Electrified Branding
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Activist group The Yes Men fooled journalists with a fake Toyota press release and conference promoting an anti-EV AI called Electra.
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The AI criticized Toyota for using the term "electrified" for hybrids that still burn gas rather than fully electric vehicles.
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After the hoax, The Yes Men confirmed they created the stunt to call out Toyota's "electrified" branding as misleading.
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They claimed no other parties were involved, though social shares from a user named PersianCowboy helped spread it.
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The believable messaging about Toyota's branding gap between "electrified" and "electric" helped convince media it was real.