An unnoticed industry worth two trillion dollars a year is influencing almost every carbon emission. Sustainability solution seeker Solitaire Townsend calls this sector the "X industry" (where "X" stands for influence), and it includes professional services like advertising and PR firms, management consultancies, corporate law firms, lobbyists and more. In this eye-opening talk, she exposes the industry's massive but largely invisible influence on the environment -- and proposes ways they can use their creativity, inventiveness and knowledge to fix climate change instead of contributing to it.

Edelman, one of the largest public relations firms in the world, has pledged never to work with climate deniers and proudly touts its work on environmental justice campaigns with brands like Tazo Tea.  

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“Right now the only categorical exclusion we have is on climate denial and coal,” Michael Stewart, then a top Edelman executive, told the Guardian in 2015. “When you are trying in some way to obfuscate the truth or use misinformation and half-truths that is what we would consider getting into the work of greenwashing, and that is something we would never propose or work we would support our client doing.”

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WPP have just released a new sustainability plan to cut their own emissions to net zero by 2030.......

......but their agencies hold dozens of contracts with major polluters that plan to increase their emissions in that same timeframe. WPP named “Increased reputational risk associated with working on environmentally detrimental client briefs and/or misrepresenting environmental claims.” as one of the principal future risks to their business.

One of Oligvy's sustainability aims is: "To protect the environment whilst providing services to our clients, such as safe-guarding both eco systems & biodiversity; utilizing sustainable resources; and climate change mitigation"

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.... you may know that Ogilvy has BP as a major client; But you may not   know that their “Keep Advancing” campaign had to be entirely scrapped after @CLientearth filed a complaint with the the UK’s Dept. for International Trade over its greenwashing content. Meanwhile OgilvyPR is repping Chevron’s @CaltexAustralia brand. 

more examples here:

A growing number of consumers say they’re willing to pay more for products with a sustainability message. But when ads make something sounds better for the environment than it actually is, that is called greenwashing.

Following our visit to the Ad awards in December, the industry newspaper - Campaign - has published a piece about the responsibilities of the advertising world. Read it here.

Following our visit to the Ad awards in December last year, the industry newspaper - Campaign - has published a piece about the responsibilities of the advertising world. Read it here.

And more information on the murky world of PR, spin and advertising here.

Clean Creatives issued a new report today, “The F-List 2022” that documents 90 Ad and PR agencies working with fossil fuel corporations that are responsible for climate change and compares holding company pledges for climate action with their work to greenwash their clients’ image and spread climate misinformation. 

An alternative award to those companies working to spread 'good' stories about the oil and gas companies.

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Last night (13 Oct) Extinction Rebellion disrupted the prestigious 2022 PR Week Awards, holding a colourful alternative ceremony at the venue and attacking the hypocrisy and ghastly greenwashing activities of PR companies who hide their links working with some of the world’s worst polluters and their funders.

Edelmans, one of the major Ad firms promoting Fossil Fuel companies have published their own 'Trust Barometer'. Have a look here and ask yourself if Edelman have properly assessed their own contributions to Climate Chaos ?