As we’ve seen demonstrated in ways ever more dramatic and hilarious, when brands hand over control of their message to an audience, there are risks and rewards.
Greenpeace hijacks the idea of the social campaign gone wrong in a new “consumer-generated” ad project that asks, and answers: What if Shell solicited ads from the public promoting its proposed Arctic drilling plans?
Unrealistic? Sure, but the results are no less excellent.
The environmental organization has created, on Shell’s behalf, the “Let’s Go” social ad campaign. The campaign’s site says: “We at Shell want everyone to feel as “pumped” as we do about freeing much-needed Arctic resources. After all, the Arctic is the common heritage of all humanity, and what we do there matters to everyone. Below are some of the ads that users like you have created for Shell’s Let’s Go! Arctic campaign. Why not create your own, and possibly win an all-expenses-paid trip to see the Kulluk [Shell’s Arctic drilling ship] in action?” You can see some of the entries above.
The site plays off Shell’s credulity-straining “Let’s Go” campaign, which positions the oil company as future-facing energy innovator and guardian of blue skies and seas.
The campaign also follows a recent high profile live stunt and accompanying web video that appeared to show a Shell event going awry. The event, ostensibly a send-off celebration for the Kulluk, was marred by a malfunctioning sculpture that spewed dark liquid–in this case soda–on a guest of honor. The event was orchestrated by Greenpeace and the Yes Men.
See the more realistic Shell “Let’s Go” ads in the slide show above.
Hat tip It’s Nice That.