Clean Creatives

Earlier this week we shared that yet more #BCorporation agencies are working with fossil fuel companies. Here’s some of the reaction we’ve gotten so far: ⏮️ Last October alongside 27 #BCorps in the Clean Creatives network we submitted a complaint to B Lab regarding several B Corp agencies, including those in the Havas network, who we found working with fossil fuel polluters.  While that review continues, we’ve found other examples of B Corps promoting polluters, including: 👉 Edit working with Shell on direct marketing 👉 SEC Newgate lobbying on behalf of 10 different fossil fuel companies 👉 Tinkle Communications (Havas subsidiary) promoting Spanish oil major 👉 Repsol 👉 Total Media working with gas distributor E.On In addition, we found another relationship with fossil fuels at the agency MSQ that was not included in the previous letter to B Lab, with British Gas. The case for excluding fossil fuel agencies from B Corp certification could not be clearer. The work these B Corp agencies are doing for fossil fuel polluters includes greenwashing gas companies, direct lobbying on behalf of coal producers, and pushing consumers to buy more gasoline. These activities are in direct contradiction to B Lab’s mission of protecting people and the planet. #CleanCreatives #BLab #BCorp #Sustainability #Havas #Marketing #Advertising #PR  #Edit #SECNewgate #Tinkle #TotalMedia #MSQ

🌐 United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, has called out the Ad & PR industry for the second time in 3 weeks, asking agencies to ‘look for clients who aren’t misleading people and destroying our planet’. On June 5th 2024, Guterres said “Your sector is full of creative minds who are already mobilizing around this cause. They are gravitating towards companies that are fighting for our planet – not trashing it”. With Clean Creatives alone, we have over 1,100 agencies and over 2,000 individuals who have signed the pledge to decline work with fossil fuel clients - and those numbers keep on growing. ♻️ Share this quote to show more creatives that there’s no longer any cover for agencies to say that they are doing the right thing when working with polluters. #UNSecretaryGeneral #AntonioGuterres #UnitedNations #Sustainability #PRAgencies #Greenwashing #Advertising

Last week our Executive Director, Duncan Meisel, gave our first official talk at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. He touched on a variety of important points, but these are the main takeaways and a challenge from us to you: 1️⃣ Climate disruption is already changing consumer behavior - the impacts of climate change act as a huge economic blow. For example, if you can’t sell your home due to insurance risks, you’ve lost the biggest part of your net worth (not to mention your home itself). 2️⃣ The climate is changing culture – particularly for young people, who are already taking action by leaving climate-damaging jobs (more on this here: https://lnkd.in/g8FbVYnJ)  3️⃣ Clean technology is pushing the fossil fuel industry to the brink - clean energy is growing faster than predicted. 4️⃣ Climate litigation will disrupt everything - we know this because we have the emails and documents between agencies and their fossil fuel clients, filed as part of legal cases. 🤔 Do you agree? If your agency hasn’t transitioned away from working with fossil fuel organizations yet, send your coworkers this post and see if it helps start a much-needed conversation. (Shoutout to Mikayla Madigan for designing our Cannes Lions-worthy presentation.) #CleanCreatives #CannesLions2024 #CannesLions #ClimateChange #Sustainability #ConsumerTrends #Creativity #Marketing #Advertising

🗣️ “Every Cannes Lions from this point forward will acquire an ever-bigger focus on the climate emergency.” Is the Advertising & PR industry too focused on shiny new objects rather than the hotter, scarier future it’s walking into? For Campaign US Executive Director of Clean Creatives, Duncan Meisel, reflects on this year's Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and the climate crisis, from attending events for TikTok inside a ‘literal greenhouse’ to the events held outside the Palais by groups such as Clean Creatives, Conscious Advertising Network and ACT Responsible. “It’s hard not to imagine that if billions of people were suddenly adopting a new social media format rather than clean energy, or experiencing a rapid change in their ability to purchase alcohol, rather than food essentials or housing, these trends would be seen as a priority by the world’s biggest marketing companies at Cannes.” 🔗 Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/eAzscptf 💬 Share your Cannes Lions experience with us below ⬇️ #CannesLions #CannesLions2024 #Advertising #TikTok #ClimateChange #Sustainability #ConsciousAdvertisingNetwork #ACTResponsible #Campaign #OpEd

🇫🇷 Yesterday we hosted our Cannes Lions Climate Leadership Happy Hour🍹, just a short walk away from the Palais, to celebrate the progress we’re making as a movement and to connect our rapidly growing global community! We also announced some upcoming new projects including an exciting ambassador opportunity for our Clean Creatives Pledge signers who want to continue taking action. We also heard from Jonathan Wise at Purpose Disruptors who said that action on climate in the Ad & PR industry is inevitable - we couldn’t agree more. Want to attend our Happy Hours? Follow us to stay updated on future events and how to get involved. #CannesLions #CannesLions2024 #CleanCreatives #Sustainability #Marketing #Advertising #Climate #HappyHour

🗣️ Clean Creatives Creatives Executive Director, Duncan Meisel, took to the Forum stage at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity today to present the 4 climate supertrends shaping the future of creativity: climate disruption, culture change, clean energy technology and litigation. We wanted this talk to show that focusing on climate is an opportunity and cutting back on sustainability is a mistake, with one final message to the agencies and creatives on the ground at the Palais: “My challenge to you is to walk out of here today knowing the date by which you are going to leave fossil fuel clients behind.” Thank you to Cannes Lions for welcoming Clean Creatives to the stage and for bringing the topic of fossil fuel clients to the agenda. 🇫🇷 Want to meet us while you’re at the festival? Join us this Wednesday, June 19th (17:00-19:00) for the Climate Leadership Happy Hour: https://lnkd.in/eTxiHcAm #CannesLions #CannesLions2024 #Sustainability #Marketing #Climate

🔥 Today the Secretary General of the United Nations António Guterres called on ad and PR agencies to cut ties with the fossil fuel industry by next year. 🗣️ “Many in the fossil fuel industry have shamelessly greenwashed, even as they have sought to delay climate action – with lobbying, legal threats, and massive ad campaigns. They have been aided and abetted by advertising and PR companies – Mad Men fuelling the madness. I call on these companies to stop acting as enablers to planetary destruction.” “Stop taking on new fossil fuel clients, from today, and set out plans to drop your existing ones. Fossil fuels are not only poisoning our planet – they’re toxic for your brand. Your sector is full of creative minds who are already mobilising around this cause. They are gravitating towards companies that are fighting for our planet – not trashing it.” This is a turning point in the advertising and PR industry’s relationship with fossil fuels. There is no longer any cover for agencies to say that they are doing the right thing when working with polluters. Everyone knows this is wrong, and everyone needs to act. Two years ago the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change laid out the case for how fossil fuel PR and advertising accelerates the climate emergency. That is now reflected in dozens of bans on advertising by local governments, and a growing number of actions by regulators across the world. The pressure will not stop, but the opportunity for those who act could also not be greater. By acting now, the ad and PR industry can be leaders in the clean energy revolution, rather than the voice of its opposition. 🌍 We are so grateful for the over 1,100 advertising, PR and creative companies who have already taken the Clean Creatives pledge not to work with fossil fuel companies, and to Secretary Guterres’ call to action. We are living through the hottest years in human history, and today shows that the future of creativity really is clean. #UnitedNations #ClimateChange #WorldEnvironmentDay #Advertising #PR #Sustainability 

🇫🇷 Are you or your agency heading to Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in 2 weeks? This year, we’ll catch you at The Palais (and at our exciting Happy Hour to launch a new initiative). Here’s the schedule ⬇️ 🎤 Monday June 17th (13:00-13:30) - Four Climate Supertrends That Will Shape the Future of Creativity 📍Forum, The Palais Join our Executive Director, Duncan Meisel, as he helps you understand how your agency, brand, and community can position themselves in the context of the next decade of the climate transition, and be a part of meaningful solutions. Duncan will make the case for why agencies and brands need to end their climate conflicts of interest and focus on sustainability as part of the core of their business. 🟢 Wednesday June 19th (17:00-19:00) - Climate Leadership Happy Hour 📍Bayou by Don Papa, 11 Rue Victor Cousin 🍸 We'll be announcing a brand new initiative with leading brands and this is the event to hear all about it first. RSVP to meet climate leaders from agencies, brands, and NGOs to talk about the future of the climate and sustainability agenda in the creative industry. 🔗 Your first drinks will be provided by Clean Creatives! Register your space here:  https://lnkd.in/eTxiHcAm #CannesLions #Cannes #Marketing #CleanCreatives #Sustainability #PR #ClimateLeadership  #SustainableBusiness 

🎤 “By touting that they are presenting educational opportunities or economic opportunities to these communities, while simultaneously poisoning them - we have to call it out for what it is, which is greenwashing.” 🔊This is what Kristy Drutman of Green Jobs Board had to say about fossil fuel companies featuring communities most impacted by climate change in their advertisements. This is exactly what McCann Worldgroup, Winners of the DEI Award for Definitely Exploiting Individuals F-List Award, did for their work with aramco. This is another throwback to our #FListAwards starring some incredible guest presenters such as Kristy Drutman, who is empowering people to find and land green jobs. 🔗 The F-List Awards show, along with the full list of winners, can be found at cleancreatives.org/awards #FListAwards #BrownGirlGreen #GreenJobsBoard #Aramco #McCann #Sustainability

🎬 “It’s just crazy that agencies are working with brands like this because these are the stories they’re paying you to tell. You’re not part of the solution. This isn’t going to help.” 🔊 Listen here to what Rob Mayhew (Business and Finance bCreator of the year) had to say about fossil fuel ad agencies, such as Mindstream Media Group, Winners of The Slippery Slope Award for Special Achievement in Hyperbole 🏆 for the #ItTakesEnergy campaign for Energy Transfer.  We’re taking a look back at the #FListAwards starring some incredible guest presenters such as Rob, who has worked in advertising for over 20 years and now creates hilariously relatable sketches about life in the ad world.  🔗 Did you miss it? Don’t worry - you can still watch the full F-List Awards show at cleancreatives.org/awards #FListAwards #RobMayhew #Ogilvy #MindstreamMedia #CleanCreatives #FossilFuels