CHEV IT UP YA PRS

Culture jamming pranksters the Yes Men duped the world’s media and played havoc with the launch of oil giant Chevron’s latest greenwash advertising campaign with a carefully orchestrated satirical spoof.

Chevron had been preparing to push their sharing, caring green credentials with a multi-million dollar advertising campaign to be launched on Monday (18th). Their “We Agree” campaign declared their agreement with statements like “Oil companies should put their profits to good use” and “It’s time oil companies get behind renewable energy”. But hours before the campaign was launched, the Yes Men launched an alternative campaign with mock-up ads highlighting the company’s environmental and social abuses.

Chevron immediately issued a stern condemnation of the spoof. Unfortunately for them the Yes Men also released a fake condemnation on Chevron’s behalf, in which they proudly declared Chevron’s right to exploit Ecuador.

With two ad campaigns and two condemnations floating around, it was all too much for many journos. Site after site cited from the spoof versions or sometimes even both. AFP and Energy Digital described the hoax before quoting the very same releases as the “real” version.

The Yes Men intend to keep the alternative ad campaign going and are urging people to send in their own subverted Chevron ads to fckchevron@theyesmen.org

*See www.theyesmen.rg