Arnold on ethical marketing

CHRIS ARNOLD

This time of year is full of awards. Everyone likes to win something. Unless it’s one for greenwashing.

Now all those brands that have decided to risk a bit of green spin to make themselves look good can now look bad and win an award for it.

Though no doubt winners will be spinning even this. Abusers will be saying how its green ad is an award winner.

If you pop into the Friends of the Earth website or SpinWatch you can cast your vote in the Worst GreenWash Awards - http://www.worstlobby.eu/2007/

Far from walking up to the stage glowing with pride green spin doctors can now walk up, head bowed, glowing red with embarrassment.

 “And the award for claiming to be green on the smallest fact is…”

Well you have to see. My bet (and my vote) goes to Shell for its ad ‘DON’T THROW ANYTHING AWAY, BECAUSE THERE IS NO AWAY’.  Maybe the ad should have been thrown away before it ran.

It’s a nice ad. Nice creative. Great line. Very Austin Powers. Lovely illustration of an oil refinery pumping out flowers. Quite cute really.

But it’s claim that the waste CO2 is being used to grow flowers is a little…well…exaggerated. If only 50% was used that’d probably be ok. If it was 20% it’d certainly be spin, but 0.325%! Come on guys, that’s like claiming I won a gold D&AD pencil because I bought the annual and own a biro.

No wonder the ASA and even the Dutch banned it.

Other brands that are short listed include Airbus, BAE Systems and Exxon Mobile.

Airbus want us to think airplanes are green and clean by showing jet silhouettes are filled with beautiful landscapes. D’oh! They aren’t. Not even a little. Maybe you should stick to comfy seats, nice food and pretty girls in your ads, it works for BA.

BAE Systems are promoting deadly weapons as environmentally friendly. Well I guess helping dictators remove ugly buildings and towns and returning them back to nature could be seen as environmental. These guys have actually put less lead in their weapons so they don’t pollute as much when they explode. Wow, a caring weapons company, sorry, defense company. Words are so important these days if you want a greener image.

Exxon Mobil has been claiming it’s reducing its greenhouse gas emissions. Now that’s not spin. They haven’t even reduced it by 0.325%. In reality its emissions are increasing. No doubt they are using the most common green spin technique of the moment – the false promise energy companies so love; “We plan (but probably will never actually do it) to reduce our carbon emissions by 2020 (cause by then we hope none of us will be working here and will have retired with a fat pension).”

One contended for next year must be poor old BOSCH. Alas, a company that produces great products with customer service second to none has fallen fowl of the ASA by claiming its dishwashers use less water than hand washing. It pays to get good advice; evidently their agency service didn’t included checking out the facts.

Probably all the major energy companies will be fighting over who has made the most unbelievable green claims about how they are helping the environment, investing in wind farms and using green electricity.

If you want to vote you have until November 24th.

If you want to spill the green beans on any greenwash briefs you have or on ads you’ve seen, just visit www.spinwatch.org. Who knows, your campaign may be picking up a gong next year too.