Hails & Fails – October 9th 2026
This week’s Hails & Fails brings together a smashing stunt from Toyota, Subway customers getting their own way and Tesco setting a new standard for employee support. Toyota has put its electric Hilux to the ultimate toughness test, Subway is celebrating the nation’s pickiest eaters, and Tesco is taking meaningful action to support employees experiencing domestic abuse. Meanwhile, Huel has bitten off more than it can chew, with its meal replacement claims leaving a bad taste in the mouth of advertising regulators.
HAILS
Tesco puts employee safety first with landmark policy
Tesco has become the first UK supermarket to introduce guaranteed paid leave for employees experiencing domestic abuse, offering up to three days to access support and make arrangements for their safety. Developed alongside trade union Usdaw, the policy also includes training for managers to recognise signs of abuse, while removing the need for employees to provide formal evidence. It’s a meaningful move from Britain’s largest private-sector employer, showing how businesses can make a genuine difference to people’s lives beyond the workplace. Rather than simply raising awareness of an important issue, Tesco is taking practical action and setting an example that other major employers could follow.
Toyota takes its toughness test to new heights
Toyota has recreated one of Top Gear’s most memorable stunts to prove its new electric Hilux is just as tough as its predecessors, dropping a 760kg caravan from 30 feet onto the vehicle. The brand even let Reddit users decide its fate, with the public choosing between the caravan drop and a one-tonne wrecking ball. Despite taking a battering, the Hilux started up and drove away, making for a brilliant visual demonstration of its durability. It’s a clever way of tapping into a nostalgic TV moment while giving audiences a role in the campaign, proving that sometimes showing a product’s strengths is far more effective than simply talking about them.
Subway gets its own way with cheeky new campaign
Subway is celebrating the art of being picky with its new ‘Get Your Own Way’ campaign, turning customers’ unusual sandwich requests into a playful reminder of the brand’s biggest selling point. Created by Saatchi & Saatchi, the campaign features humorous adverts showing customers taking their demanding behaviour beyond the sandwich counter, from changing the channel during a football match at the pub to making an unexpected shopping stop during a driving lesson. Outdoor adverts also showcase real customers’ wonderfully specific orders. It’s a clever way of putting personalisation back at the heart of Subway’s identity, using everyday humour to remind customers that getting exactly what you want is all part of the experience.
FAIL
Huel's advertising claims leave a bad taste
Huel has found itself in hot water after an advert featuring former Made in Chelsea star Spencer Matthews was banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). The podcast-style video saw Matthews discuss meeting an ultramarathon runner who apparently lived entirely on Huel products and went on to win a gruelling 260km race. However, the watchdog ruled that the advert encouraged irresponsible dietary habits by suggesting Huel could replace conventional meals, while also making unauthorised health claims about athletic performance. Huel insisted the story wasn’t intended as dietary advice and has complied with the ruling. It’s a reminder that even casual conversations in advertising can carry serious implications, particularly when it comes to health claims.
