The Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB) has dismissed a complaint that Toyota South Africa’s “I am what I am” tagline for the new Land Cruiser FJ is blasphemous. The board’s directorate ruled on 15 September 2026 that the advertisement does not breach the Code of Advertising Practice, according to Bizcommunity’s report on the ruling.
The complainant argued that the line was disrespectful to Christianity because it echoes “I am that I am”, the words the Bible attributes to God in his conversation with Moses in Exodus. The advertisement itself is plain: the vehicle in an outdoor setting, with the tagline as its caption.
## What the directorate found
The directorate said the advertisement contains “no icons, images or other elements that would likely be interpreted as a reference to the Bible or Christianity”. Read on its own, it said, the wording would more likely be understood as a statement of confidence and self-reliance, or as an invitation to accept the vehicle or its driver “as is”.
It also pointed out that “I am what I am” is not typically regarded as sacred or as specifically tied to God or religion, and that the phrase has turned up in songs and other popular media for years. Popeye’s line about what he “yam” is one of the examples cited. On that basis the directorate concluded the advertisement was unlikely to cause serious, widespread or sectoral offence under Clause 1 of Section II of the Code.
Only one complaint was received. The directorate described that as unusually low for a complaint alleging religious offence, and it counted the small number against the idea that the public had taken the line as an attack on a faith.
## Toyota’s agency explains the line
Publicis Groupe Africa, the agency behind the campaign, answered the complaint for Toyota South Africa. It said “I am what I am” was the last in a series of statements used across the campaign: “I am majestic”, “I am intriguing”, “I am sophisticated”, “I am driven”, “I am capable” and “I am unbreakable”. The tagline, the agency said, was meant to draw those attributes together and convey the vehicle’s versatility and individuality. It also noted that the advertisement carries no religious imagery, biblical reference or religious setting, according to TopAuto’s account of the case.
## How the ARB handles a complaint
The ARB describes itself as South Africa’s self-regulation body for the content of advertising, and it administers the Code of Advertising Practice. Consumers, competitors and other interested parties can lodge complaints about advertising they consider misleading, offensive or unethical. On its codes page the ARB sets out a staged process: a complaint goes first to the directorate, the Advertising Standards Committee is the main adjudicating body, and there are two levels of appeal. The directorate’s ruling is the first of those stages, and the reports do not say whether the complainant has appealed.
## The vehicle behind the tagline
The Land Cruiser FJ reached South African dealers in May 2026, according to TopAuto’s launch report. It is sold in two grades: the GX at R714,000 and the VX at R761,400. Both use a 2.7-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine producing 122 kW and 245 Nm, paired with a six-speed automatic gearbox and a part-time four-wheel-drive system, on a ladder-frame chassis.
At 4,610 mm long, with 245 mm of ground clearance, it is positioned as a compact entry point to the Land Cruiser family. The GX comes with keyless entry and start and automatic dual-zone climate control. The VX adds adaptive cruise control, blind-spot detection and lane-departure warning.
The ruling comes a few months after that launch. For other advertisers it shows that a single complaint, even one framed as religious offence, need not stop a campaign if the directorate finds nothing in the execution that points to a religious source. More rulings and regulatory developments are collected under regulatory and policy news, related advertising-rules coverage includes Johannesburg’s illegal-billboard crackdown and the retail and consumer section, and earlier coverage of the company is under Toyota South Africa.
