the bank ING has withdrawn its advertising from the programs “Horizon” and “Fourth Millennium”led by Iker Jimenez and broadcast on Cuatro, the audiovisual group’s channel Mediaset. The reason for this is “the controversy generated in recent days in a very sensitive social context”.

From the company’s statement we infer a allusion to hoaxes and false information transferred within the framework of the aforementioned television spaces in relation to the events motivated by the impact of the dana in Valencia. And last Sunday, November 3, a special edition of “Horizonte” was broadcast to address the consequences of the storm, and in it statements were made about the deaths in the parking lot of the Bonaire shopping center.

The statements responded to the publications that Iker Jiménez had previously made on his X profile – formerly Twitter -, in which he commented: “In the Bonaire parking lot there are many bodies, many bodies. Many”.
This was finally denied by the authorities and emergency forces, who found no deaths in the facilities.

In light of all this, a intense and remarkably polarized social conversation which has been what led the financial institution to make the decision. This has been initially made known by The Countryto which the company itself has responded with a statement confirming the movement.

“At ING we have a media strategy in which we decide on a weekly plan taking current events into account. Based on it, we buy the different advertising spaces based on what we consider best for the positioning of our brand.”, they comment from ING in the statement.

They ensure the decision to withdraw advertising from a program, network or media “It is taken based on different factors such as content or commercial strategy, and in no case is it related to specific programs or presenters.“, they point out about their modification of the advertising grid.

From reason.Why we have contacted ING, whose communication area states that, for the moment, they have no intention of going deeper into their explanations. They only emphasize that “Adjusting the advertising grid based on current events is common in all companies.”.

However, given information published by The World on November 14 about the use of an automatic algorithm that withdraws campaigns when it detects a controversy, company sources confirm to reason.Why that They do not have tools or automatic software that decides the placement of advertisingbut they work with the media agency iProspect.

This medium has also contacted iProspectING media agency, and they refer us to the client. They report that the way of proceeding has been the usual one in this type of cases.

reason.Why has also contacted Mediaset, but has not received a response at the time of publishing this news. The information will be updated if we receive a response from you.

According to The CountryMediaset is not currently considering removing the programs “Horizonte” and “Cuarto Milenio” from the broadcast; and they report that the bank’s advertising remains in other spaces on the network.

Beyond the particular case, however, the situation draws a reflection interesting linked to both brand safety and the brand positioning, activism and responsibility in relation to the truth in a communicative moment marked by polarization and misinformation.

The customer boycott

Despite ING’s explanations, some users, most of them followers of the program and the presenter and with a high profile, have received the decision unfavorably. They consider that withdrawing advertising from “Horizonte” and “Cuarto Milenio” is a opportunistic movement which responds to the criticism that Iker Jiménez has received from both social media users, colleagues and the media. Many others point out that ING gives in to pressure groups and rejects freedom of the press.

“A bank should not participate in the gratuitous beating of a person because others are afraid of his ideas and his freedom.” comments one user. “It should dedicate itself to being a good bank, a good company, a good option for its shareholders and not get involved in political or partisan matters. I think they have made a mistake. And it might explode in their faces.”says another.

Several users who negatively evaluate ING’s movement have proceeded to cancel their accounts at the bank, as they have shared on social networks. They do it under a call for boycott which for a few hours has been expressed on social networks under hashtags such as #AdiosIngDirect, #BoycottING, #AdiosING. Others also express their support for Iker Jiménez with the hashtag #YoconIker.

Other cases of advertising withdrawal

The withdrawal of advertising from a television space by ING is not the first that the Spanish advertising market has contemplated. On previous occasions, other companies and brands have made decisions before content that they have not considered appropriate or that has been the subject of controversy.

In 2011, the program “The Ferris Wheel”, broadcast on Telecinco, also experienced the withdrawal of advertisers such as Vitaldent, Wilkinson, Donuts or El Corte Inglés, following the interview conducted by presenter Jordi González with Rosalía García, mother of “El Cuco”, a minor convicted in the case of Marta of the Castle.

In 2019, brands such as Finetwork, Carretilla, Nescafé or MediaMarkt withdrew their advertising from the contest “GH VIP 7” in light of the social conversation, which showed its support for the former “GH Revolution” contestant Carlota Prado, who claimed to have been a victim of sexual assault during the edition in which she participated.
In 2023, former contestant José María López and the producer Zeppelin TV were convicted in the case.