Advertising a product isn't the same as recommending a product, both are a form of marketing but not the same thing. That aside, I would have preferred if the title of text of the post would say something like 'this brand sells European bags, i like them, what companies also sell European bags' so it becomes a conversation rather than a notification.
I think the downvotes are bots. I've noticed it myself, some downvotes at first, and then it starts gaining traction. Maybe it's big tech, not liking the competition of the federation, or it might be tankies. Who knows.
Fun fact: the upvotes don't accumulate as on Reddit!