🕵️♀️ The Climate Propagandist Newsletter #9
Shell’s attempt at corporate feminism + your climate propaganda digest! 🐚
In this edition, we're taking a closer look at Shell’s campaign launched for International Women’s Day in 2020. As always, we have a treasure trove of climate propaganda resources for you to explore. Keep scrolling to the end to find our curated list of recommendations!
This newsletter is proudly supported by Atmos Financial.
🔦 INVESTIGATIVE PIECE: Shell’s attempt at corporate feminism
International Women's Day (IWD) is a moment to honour women's rights and recognised those still engaged in the struggle for liberation. But for some corporations, it has transformed into an opportunistic pitstop for an image makeover.
Shell's 2020 IWD campaign is a textbook example of "genderwashing," a practice wherein feminist rhetoric is utilised to divert attention from pressing environmental and social issues. Essentially, it’s all about weaponising women's empowerment to gain legitimacy while deflecting from human rights and environmental violations.
The campaign is centered around the slogan "Shell" morphing into "She Will," a calculated attempt to forge a connection between women's empowerment and the Shell brand. Through this semiotic strategy, Shell associates itself with progressive values and gender equality. This isn't the first time a fossil fuel giant has revamped its brand name to appear more socially relevant. Who can forget BP's infamous "Beyond Petroleum" slogan, a thinly veiled attempt to distance themselves from their core business of oil extraction?
Yet, Shell’s campaign falls flat on several fronts. Firstly, it reeks of inauthenticity. Its promotional video features women of all ages and races staring into the camera, while vague slogans like “she will be heard,” “she will be respected” and “she will be valued” flash across the screen. Deep stuff. The video wraps up with the hashtag “#MakeTheFuture gender biased”, which seems to have been thrown in as an afterthought.
Secondly, the campaign is patronising in its portrayal of women. The passive construction of the sentences diminishes the agency of women. Here, the women aren’t the doers - they're the ones being acted upon. These slogans imply that women must rely on others to grant them value, respect, or a voice, placing emphasis on what is done to women rather than what they actively achieve or contribute.
Shell isn't alone in this PR facelift. International Women’s Day has become a prime target for the fossil fuel industry to maintain its social license, often hijacking feminist narratives to deflect from environmental damage. These companies frequently highlight the number of women in leadership roles or boast about career opportunities for women in their industry. However, this surface-level rebranding serves to mask the fundamental problem: their core business operations worsen climate change, disproportionately impacting, you guessed it, women.
💼 CLIMATE PROPAGANDA DIGEST:
Don’t miss out on these handpicked resources for climate propagandists. Here’s a curated list of what to read, watch, listen to, and engage with…
📑 Reading material
GUIDE: “Death to Greenwashing”
Here’s an engaging (and incredibly visually appealing) resource to empower creators in navigating greenwashing and propaganda. This article equips you with the tools needed to navigate through misinformation, brand agendas, and online trolls. We won’t blame you if you indulge in all the other ‘delicious nuggets’ by Earth Alliance here.
📻 Audio content
PODCAST: “Filter It Through a Brain Cell”
We at The Climate Propagandist absolutely adore this podcast—it's dedicated to debunking logical fallacies, cognitive biases, and propaganda. In each bite-sized episode, listeners are introduced to a different fallacy or form of manipulative rhetoric, accompanied by relatable examples that aid in their identification. It's a fantastic toolbox for nurturing thinking skills and discernment!
EPISODE: “Climate Change Storytelling”
This episode of Make Data Human dives deep into strategies to prevent individuals from feeling overwhelmed or paralysed by the daunting challenges of the climate crisis. Instead, you’ll explore how to ignite actionable and sustainable behaviours that empower change. Highly recommend listening to this discussion with neuromarketing expert, Prince Ghuman, author of the bestselling book "Blindsight.”
📹 Video resources
RECORDING: “Dismantling Disinformation: How to Fight Back Against Climate Deniers, Doomers, and Delayers”
Looking for ways to tackle climate disinformation and misinformation? Look no further! Watch this webinar featuring an exceptional lineup of speakers who are fighting back against false narratives in their work. From Rollie Williams to Hazel Thayer, Abbie Richards, Jacob Simon, and Ilana Berger, you'll be inspired and equipped with practical strategies to take action. (We're absolutely huge fans of each of them!)
🎟 Special events and offerings
WEBINAR: “Climate Tech Media Relations: Crafting Stories for a Greener Future”, March 21st
Marketing agency Alter & Co is hosting an engaging session on the opportunities and challenges involved in communicating climate technology through media relations. Learn effective strategies for engaging with journalists, and discover collaborative approaches between media and communications professionals to tell impactful climate stories.
WORKSHOP: “History of Fossil Fuels Deception and the Role of PR,” March 26th
If you're eager to understand the intricate web of fossil fuel misinformation about climate change and the pivotal role of PR agencies in impeding climate action, your search ends here! Clean Creatives Executive Director Duncan Meisel will shed light on the risks associated with fossil fuel campaigns. Check out Clean Creatives' Catalyst Series - a fantastic workshop program designed for communications professionals dedicated to using their skills for good. Happy learning!
💌 SPECIAL SHOUT-OUT:
This week’s newsletter is proudly supported by Atmos Financial.
At Atmos Financial, your deposits do more than just sit idle - they drive positive change and provide you with climate impact insights. So far, Atmos accounts have facilitated the creation of over 12,000 kW of solar energy across the United States.
Through an expanding network of partners, Atmos ensures that your money is exclusively invested in solar and climate projects.
Atmos Financial is a certified B Corp and a member of the 1% for the Planet initiative. With 100% of your deposits funding clean energy projects, every dollar of your money directly fuels climate progress.
While you eagerly await the next newsletter, why not hop over to our Instagram and LinkedIn pages for extra climate propaganda content? We've got a lot more in store for you there!
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This ad campaign is so crazy 😵💫😵💫😵💫