Big name brands continue to boycott Alan Jones over his controversial “shove a sock down her throat” tirade about New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

It comes as Treasurer Josh Frydenberg described Jones as a “mainstay” of the media and a “powerful advocate”.

The veteran 2GB broadcaster has apologised, and was publicly admonished by bosses, but advertisers aren’t buying the remorse. At least 12 businesses have confirmed plans to boycott the Alan Jones show.

On Monday afternoon, Volkswagen said on Twitter it would “cease all advertisement with 2GB”.

Jacinda Ardern was at the Pacific Islands Forum when Jones made the original comments last Thursday. Photo:AAP

Mattress brand Koala said it was time for 2GB radio to “wake up”, adding that Jones had been given too many chances already.

“Koala has cut ties with Alan Jones,” the company wrote on Twitter.

“We’re a significant buyer in the medium, and it’s something we should have done earlier.

“Climate change is real, violence against women starts with words and the bloke has had too many chances.”

But not everyone has been as scathing.

Questioned in a television interview about Jones’ language about women, the federal Treasurer said the comments about Ms Ardern were “inappropriate” but that the radio host had also been of significant “benefit to the communities he broadcasts into”.

“I do want to acknowledge Alan Jones is also a mainstay of our media and he’s been around for a long time and he has a lot of followers,” Mr Frydenberg told ABC’s News Breakfast. 

“You don’t want to deny that he is a powerful advocate for the causes, including for regional Australia, that he pursues.”

Host Michael Rowland pressed further: “He’s not a powerful advocate, though, when it comes to denigrating women.”

To that, Mr Frydenberg repeated that on-air comments were “completely inappropriate” but said Jones was also a significant voice for communities and causes such as drought and flood relief.

‘…Alan Jones is a mainstay of our media’. @BreakfastNews #auspol https://t.co/Bs92JiNIwe

— Michael Rowland (@mjrowland68) August 18, 2019

Jones had told his listeners on Thursday that if Prime Minister Scott Morrison bumped into Ms Ardern, he should “shove a sock down her throat”.

Continuing his attack the following day, Jones described the New Zealand leader as a “hypocrite” in a repeated attack about her climate change stance off the back of a meeting of Pacific leaders in Fiji.

The shock jock initially slammed critics for “wilfully” misinterpreting him but apologised later on Friday night, before Macquarie Media chief Russell Tate warned Jones he would be sacked next time. 

KOALA MATTRESS TAKES A STAND

Outstanding development @KoalaMattress have made an unsolicited public statement and will no longer advertise on the Alan Jones show.

Well done Koala Mattress we hope you will serve as an example to other companies.#Auspol via @marty_j_smith pic.twitter.com/1KSz3Wn7kb

— ☮️💧 Sleeping Giants Oz 📣 (@slpng_giants_oz) August 19, 2019

ME Bank became the first advertiser to pull its support on Friday and others have since followed suit – but how long they remain off the 2GB airwave remains to be seen.

By Monday afternoon the companies that had signalled plans to withdraw advertising from Jones’ show, or the whole station, included Koala, Volkswagen Australia, Big W, Yourtown Prize Homes, Anytime Fitness, Amart, Mercedes Benz, Snooze, Bunnings, Bing Lee, RSL Art Union, and Total Tools.

Activist groups Mad Witches and Sleeping Giants have been pushing for the boycott while also encouraging protesters to mail a pair of socks to parent company Nine’s chairman Peter Costello.