Environment & Energy

wtmusic

(39,166 posts) Fri Dec 7, 2012, 11:43 AM Dec 2012

What's next, "Exxon Kills Puppies"? "Exxon Eats Babies"?

Another group takes a legit concern over the top, PETA-style, and makes it into a caricature. I realize people get emotional about this issue - I'm one of them - but this kind of lashing out invariably backfires (contrast with 350.org's Do the Math campaign).

"You might have seen the ad below, called 'Exxon Hates Your Children,' circulated this week.

'We all know the climate crisis will rip [your children's] world apart, but we don’t care, because it’ll make us rich,' says the fake Exxon executive.

Two groups, Oil Change International and The Other 98%, rolled out the campaign this week and are trying to raise money in order to put the ad on television. It’s gotten a lot of attention in the last two days, including from Exxon, which called the ad 'offensive.' So far, the campaign has raised more than $10,000."

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2012/12/07/1299241/exxon-hates-your-children-ad-part-of-campaign-to-strip-the-social-license-of-oil-companies/

9 replies

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Highlight:

What's next, "Exxon Kills Puppies"? "Exxon Eats Babies"? (Original Post) wtmusic Dec 2012 OP

I don't know, I thought it was a good response to those very annoying hedgehog Dec 2012 #1

I don't see them singling out public education. wtmusic Dec 2012 #2

The ads I'm referring to go on about how poorly US students rank in hedgehog Dec 2012 #4

I don't think it's over the top dballance Dec 2012 #3

The government should seize all Exxon profits and use them to build clean energy. limpyhobbler Dec 2012 #5

I thought it might be over the top to seize profits, hedgehog Dec 2012 #6

Seize away. limpyhobbler Dec 2012 #7

"Satire with a serious message." limpyhobbler Dec 2012 #8

Looks like they overestimated the intelligence of their audience. Nihil Dec 2012 #9

hedgehog

(36,286 posts)

1. I don't know, I thought it was a good response to those very annoying

Reply to wtmusic (Original post)

Fri Dec 7, 2012, 11:44 AM

Dec 2012

Last edited Fri Dec 7, 2012, 12:47 PM - Edit history (1)

"let's fix this" ads attacking the public school system.

wtmusic

(39,166 posts)

2. I don't see them singling out public education.

Reply to hedgehog (Reply #1)

Fri Dec 7, 2012, 11:54 AM

Dec 2012

They're donating a lot to the National Math and Science Initiative, which is a two-pronged attack: 1) they get good PR for "helping the children" and, 2) they get an opportunity to sneak in a pro-petroleum message.

Exxon is fighting malaria, Chevron is fighting AIDS. I think it's great they're spending their wealth on good causes. It doesn't make a whit of difference in my determination, however, to end their core business.

hedgehog

(36,286 posts)

4. The ads I'm referring to go on about how poorly US students rank in

Reply to wtmusic (Reply #2)

Fri Dec 7, 2012, 12:49 PM

Dec 2012

math and science, then go on to say "let's fix this." The problem is, Exxon Mobil has been moving from high tax states with good pay for teachers and good schools to low tax states. "let's fix this", indeed!

dballance

(5,756 posts)

3. I don't think it's over the top

Reply to hedgehog (Reply #1)

Fri Dec 7, 2012, 11:57 AM

Dec 2012

Seems pretty on the mark to me.

The ads I sick of are those "happy, happy, joy, joy" BP ads about how great life is on the gulf coast despite all the contaminated, malformed sea life.

limpyhobbler

(8,244 posts)

5. The government should seize all Exxon profits and use them to build clean energy.

Reply to wtmusic (Original post)

Fri Dec 7, 2012, 01:43 PM

Dec 2012

Why should Exxon be allowed to treat the atmosphere as an open sewer for their own private profit and then use that money to buy politicians. Exxon does not fight fair. They use their massive money power to distort politics and prevent actions on climate change. I don't feel bad for them at all. They are probably the top force in the world preventing action on climate. It's about time somebody started hitting them back.

Romney Spokeswoman Promoted Climate Change Denial on Behalf of Exxon

Exxon continued to fund climate denial in 2009

This is a contest for political power. Hit 'em hard. Any ad that Exxon makes is an attempt to influence public political opinion, just like a political ad. So far the oil industry's propaganda has gone largely unanswered. It's about time somebody started standing up to these bullies.

hedgehog

(36,286 posts)

6. I thought it might be over the top to seize profits,

Reply to limpyhobbler (Reply #5)

Fri Dec 7, 2012, 01:49 PM

Dec 2012

but if Exxon can seize land for pipelines via eminent domain, maybe there's a precedent there!

limpyhobbler

(8,244 posts)

7. Seize away.

Reply to hedgehog (Reply #6)

Fri Dec 7, 2012, 03:54 PM

Dec 2012

Call it a windfall profits tax.

Regarding "over the top" ads,
The "Exxon hates your kids" ad from the OP may be a little over-the-top on purpose to make the point of how ridiculous the feel-good oil industry ads are all the time. They actually do have one called "Exxon Loves Teachers".

limpyhobbler

(8,244 posts)

8. "Satire with a serious message."

Reply to wtmusic (Original post)

Tue Dec 11, 2012, 10:31 PM

Dec 2012

I guess they wanted to clarify this a little...

Exxon Hates Your Children. Satire with a serious message.

Yesterday Oil Change International launched an exciting new campaign with our friends at the Other 98%. ExxonHatesYourChildren.com is a website, with a provocative TV ad embedded in it. Our intent is to raise money to put the ad on television to draw attention to the over $10 billion in annual subsidies to Big Oil, Gas and Coal.

It’s a hilarious ad with a serious message. As Congress debates what actions to take to avoid the so-called “fiscal cliff” perhaps no programs are less worthy of government support than those which subsidize Big Oil, Gas, and Coal. Read on to understand:
...

via http://priceofoil.org/2012/12/06/exxon-hates-your-children-satire-with-a-serious-message/

Nihil

(13,508 posts)

9. Looks like they overestimated the intelligence of their audience.

Reply to limpyhobbler (Reply #8)

Wed Dec 12, 2012, 05:32 AM

Dec 2012

Don't you just hate it when you have to explain a joke in words of one syllable because
you forgot who you were talking to at the time?

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