About a century ago – it seems – we were at a sustainability conference run by the Property Council in Victoria when Jennifer Cunich was in charge.
Up on stage giving the lunchtime address was Russell Howcroft, the grumpy advertising guy from the ABC’s Gruen Transfer show who on the few episodes we’ve seen seems remarkably supportive of ads that we think are “off”.
But on that day Howcroft stopped dead during his speech to ask the assembled crowd why they were not banging the doors down on his industry and demanding support for their work. It was crazy, he intimated.
Howcroft was no doubt thinking about how much money and influence the people on the other side of the fence were expending on his industry.
We soon realised what he was talking about. The pro coal and fossil fuel industry has since unleashed the most vicious and effective campaigns to stop any number of green actions. There was the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, which sparked a giant edia campaign – and won. In the process forcing Liberal leader Malcolm Turnbull from his job as leader of the Liberals.
There was the outpouring against Julia Gillard’s mining tax proposals, and in recent times, the ads trying to get us to keep connected to gas, pushing it out as warm and cuddly – showing cute kids getting wrapped in bath towels after their “gas hot water” bath.
Today the media is cowed and frightened – the ABC in particular as The Australian and its stable mates continue their vicious attacks on anything that doesn’t support its commercial/political agenda.
All but a few of the brave older journos still tell it like they see it.
Young journos rightly fear for their jobs, their housing and their future.
But in the face of the rising aggression groups of people have emerged who refuse to take part in the damage their peers are helping to perpetrate.
In the built environment there’s now Architects Declare, Engineers Declare and Builders Declare.
Now there’s Comms Declare.
Founded in 2020 by former news journalist Belinda Noble and communications professional Cally Jackson, this small brave group is trying to counter the power of the pro fossil fuel media working for the most powerful commercial interests determined to stop progress on climate and sustainability.
In recent times the group has zeroed in on the sponsors of the National Press Club.
Two weeks ago, Greg Combet, on the eve of taking up the job as chair of the Future Fund, stood before the cream of Australian media to give a far reaching speech that outlined an enormously encouraging list of actions the federal government has in train for sustainability and climate action.
See our take on that speech here.
What we didn’t notice was that in the background lurked the mark of the NPC’s sponsors. But Comms Declare noticed.
“As he spoke about how Australia is poised to grasp the opportunities of a green energy economy, the old economy was sitting in the wings,” the group said in an article it later posted on social media.
“The NPC has many sponsors tied to fossil fuels, headlined by major polluter, Woodside Petroleum.
“Its principal partner is Westpac, which has loaned at least $9 billion to fossil fuels since the Paris Agreement was signed.
“Others include CT Group, the agency reportedly behind an infamous astroturfing campaign on behalf of Glencore.
“Another agency sponsor, SEC Newgate, has seven fossil fuel clients while Hawker-Britton has four, according to the Comms Declare and Clean Creatives F-list.”
The group has also cautioned its fellow creative agencies from pitching for a big contract offered by Shell in recent times.
Belinda Noble says: “Shell is an Olympic gaslighter. It talks up the energy transition but just weakened its 2030 emissions reduction target and abandoned its 2035 target entirely.
“Shell heavily promoted its net zero target in Australia, while internal emails revealed it was ‘not a Shell business plan’. These greenwashing claims are being investigated by the corporate regulator.
“The energy retailing side of the business is the friendly face of an international corporation betting against the energy transition and a safe future for our children.
“Agencies may think that taking the account is helping to promote renewables, but they will just be propping up a brand doubling down on oil and gas and damaging their own reputation in the process.”
The group has made a submission to The Australian Association of National Advertisers for its Draft Environmental Claims Code.
And it points out EU Directives that “prohibit all net zero claims based only on offsets as well as general vague environmental claims”.
Comms Declare also pointed out that Havas, one of the biggest ad agencies has come under strong fire for working for Shell having its BCorp status reviewed.
See the article, in DeSmog, CEO Yannick Bolloré Staked His Brand on Caring About the Climate. So Why Is His Company Working for Shell?
Words may not hurt like sticks and stones; they can do a lot more damage. The members of Comms Declare are listed here. If you’ve got clean green businesses to promote they will do doubt appreciate a call to offer them your business.