We may be the first in Croatia, small and independent, and at times, we may operate as a one-person team represented by Karla Andrić, but we proudly stand as part of Clean Creatives.
We joined a global movement of advertising and PR professionals committed to saying no to fossil fuel clients.
The future of creativity is clean.
The future of creativity is clean.
In early 2022, the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) issued a clear final warning that we must act now to avoid climate disasters. The sixth assessment of their global report, which represents the current scientific consensus on climate change, made headlines for declaring a climate emergency and offering hope that if we take urgent action to reduce carbon pollution, we can secure a liveable future for all.
The IPCC says this can only be achieved with major transitions in the energy sector, including a substantial reduction in fossil fuel use. The IPCC report spoke directly to the communications and PR industry, saying that the media shapes the public discourse about climate mitigation and that fossil fuel PR and marketing should end.
The report highlighted that fossil fuel marketing uses climate-care statements and deflects corporate responsibility to individuals to greenwash and make climate change feel like our personal responsibility rather than an obligation for corporate and government leaders.
Later, in 2022, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addressed the UN General Assembly and declared that we need to hold fossil fuel companies and their enablers accountable. This includes the massive public relations machine raking billions to shield the fossil fuel industry from scrutiny.
The energy sector causes roughly three-quarters of dangerous carbon pollution and plans to continue increasing its pollution.
Under the Paris Climate Agreement, we do not need new fossil fuel projects to meet global energy needs.
Fossil fuel pollution is responsible for approximately 8.7 million premature deaths per year.
The severe effects of climate change are already happening and need to be stopped.
Since 2022, fossil fuel companies have rolled back their commitments to clean energy and made clear statements to investors, regulators, and the public that they will continue focusing on polluting products, no matter the impact on the planet.
In 2022, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine changed the global energy market, leading to higher gas prices and record profits. Once fossil fuel giants started doubling their earnings, they stepped back from their climate pledges and focused on exploration and expansion instead of investing that money in renewables.
For example, BP announced in 2020 that “we are heading to net zero. There is no turning back” and pledged to reduce fossil fuel production and emissions, but in 2023, they rolled back their investment. Shell did the same by making a net zero commitment in 2020 but announcing that they would increase fossil fuel production in 2023.
The World Benchmarking Alliance’s research shows that, since 2021, the oil and gas sector has made almost no progress towards the Paris Agreement goals. They have observed a dangerous lack of progress… and alarmingly even some decline in oil and gas companies’ progress limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees.
In 2021 and 2022, oil and gas companies only invested 1% of their cash expenditures in low-carbon technologies.
In his 2023 TED Talk, Al Gore asked the fossil fuel industry, “Do you take us for fools? The climate crisis is a fossil fuel crisis. The solutions are going to come from a discussion and collaboration about phasing out fossil fuels and there is only so much longer they can hold this down and tie us down and keep us from doing the right thing.”
The future of creativity is clean.
The future of creativity is clean.
The biggest part of any agency’s pollution footprint is the work they do for their clients — and the footprint of fossil fuel clients is massive. Fossil fuel corporations are the world’s leading polluters, and the biggest greenwashers - and they have no substantive plans to change. Even as their campaigns focus on renewable energy, 99% of their investments are spent on producing more oil and gas.
Recruitment and retention of young creatives
Fossil fuel corporations are on the wrong side of many of the defining issues of our era. Young people in particular list climate change as one of their top worries, and want to see their values expressed in their workplace. Working with fossil fuels clearly places agencies out of step with their future talent.
Poisoning the well for brands making real change
Advertisements promising false solutions by fossil fuel corporations dilute the impact of genuine efforts to make change by your clients. They introduce cynicism, and make it harder for consumers to identify real solutions.
Legal and regulatory risk
Fossil fuel interests are facing growing legal threats from governments and individuals filing suits for damages due to climate change. These suits often focus on advertising and PR strategy, and risk drawing in agencies that work with them into the debate about liability. Similarly, new regulations on carbon pollution will increasingly affect the business model of fossil fuel corporations themselves.
We have the power to shape public opinion.
We have the power to shape public opinion.
Source: Clean Creatives
