Armed with swatches that describe six common types of greenwashing, Creatives for Climate brought anti-greenwashing agents to the Cannes Lions festival and UN’s global climate summit in 2023. In addition to sharing the swatches as a greenwashing education tool, agents also engaged with attendees on the impact of their work.
“Our ambition to remove [fossil fuel brands’] social license relies on tactics that undermine the credibility, but also, in particular, the ‘cool’ of agencies that represent fossil fuels. If you become the butt of a joke, that’s not a place you want to be,” Lucy von Sturmer, initiator and chair of Creatives for Climate, told Adweek. “Creative activists are looking to use the tactics of the industry on itself, and you’ll probably be seeing more and more of that.”
Elsewhere along La Croisette at Cannes, Clean Creatives held a huge sign above Edelman CEO Richard Edelman’s head—pointing out, simply, that “this person works with fossil fuel clients.”
4.) Extinction Rebellion hosts a ‘die-in’ at Havas following Shell account win
In September, Adweek broke the news that Havas had won the long-awaited Shell media account. Shortly afterward, activists from Extinction Rebellion—who’d been protesting at all agencies rumored to be pitching for the account for weeks—hosted a “die-in” at Havas’ London office.
“Without the skill and creativity of agencies like Havas, Shell and the other fossil fuel companies driving the accelerating climate crisis with their supplies of oil, gas and coal would be revealed for what they really are—criminals who are destroying our future,” Katie Burrell, an activist who took part in the action, said in a statement.
Havas didn’t respond to Adweek’s request for comment on Extinction Rebellion’s action, but told Adweek at the time of the Shell account win that its “mission is to make a meaningful difference to brands, businesses and people. We believe the ability to enact change comes most effectively from within. This is why we are invested in supporting all companies in their communications provided that they are actively engaged in a transformation journey.”
