A global report on promoting fossil fuels has called out Australia's agencies lobbying for oil, gas and coal.
The study, by Comms Declare and Clean Creatives lists 90 advertising, marketing and PR agencies.
“A lobbying firm helped put a lump of coal into (prime minister) Scott Morrison’s hand in parliament," says Comms Declare founder Belinda Noble.
"Now PR and ad companies are helping gas corporations promote and greenwash the so-called ‘gas-fired recovery’.
“The research also shows that two multinationals, WPP and Omnicom, have a significant influence in the local market.
"WPP has eight local agencies (Barton Deakin, The Brand Agency, Cannings Purple, Hawker Britton, Ogilvy, Ogilvy PR, VMLY&R, Wavemaker) that represent fossil fuel companies despite its own pledge to have net zero carbon emissions by 2025." It is understood Wavemaker in Australia no longer does work for Chevron but that a global cpontract is still in place.
WPP, contacted by AdNews, declined to comment.
Omnicom has three: GRACosway, Marketforce and Marketforce North. Omnicom has also been contacted.
Duncan Meisel, director of Clean Creatives: “The most important step any agency can take to address the climate crisis is to rule out working with fossil fuel companies.
"We need creatives and communications experts to bring their full energy towards ending this crisis, not extending it."
The report finds that lobbyist Statecraft (Priebe Family Trust) tops the list of Australian agencies, representing seven fossil fuel clients, followed by Hawker Britton (part of WPP) with four.
It says gas producer Santos tops clients by employing six agencies (Atomix, Bright Yellow, GRACosway, Twelve, Australian Public Affairs, Showpony) in recent years, followed by the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (APPEA) and Ampol, both with five.
Comms Declare is conducting a survey of under 30s working or studying in the communications industry in an effort to gauge the attitudes of future leaders.
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