About
The fossil fuel industry was one of the first major users of PR in the U.S. and it continues to spend more than most other industries. PR firms don’t just handle media placements and advertising for fossil fuel clients, they help craft strategies. As one publicist put it to me recently, “it wasn’t the oil companies that invented greenwashing, it was PR firms.” Despite the billions of dollars it’s spent on PR over the years, the industry and its favorite firms are not exactly innovative. They come back to the same five key narratives over and over again, leaning on whichever plays best at any particular point in time:
S9, Ep3 | The Next Citizens United Will Be a Climate Case
Big Oil is still trying to expand corporate free speech rights.
Big Oil is still trying to expand corporate free speech rights.
S9, Ep2 | A Legal Strategy
Herb realizes it’s not enough just to defend corporate free speech in the court of public opinion.
Herb realizes it’s not enough just to defend corporate free speech in the court of public opinion.
S3, Ep2 | The Oil-Nazi-Propaganda Triangle
The American PR men who advised Hitler.
The American PR men who advised Hitler.
S3, Ep4 | Oil Slick, Part 1—The Rise of the Corporate Persona
Mobil’s PR guy, Herb Schmertz, takes a whole new approach.
Mobil’s PR guy, Herb Schmertz, takes a whole new approach.
S3, Ep5 | Oil Slick, Part 2—False Equivalence and Free Speech
Schmertz and the art of “creative confrontation.”
Schmertz and the art of “creative confrontation.”
S3, Ep6 | Manipulating the Masses and Predicting the Future—Edward Bernays and W. Howard Chase
From propaganda to PR to issues management.
From propaganda to PR to issues management.
S3, Ep7 | John Hill and the Tobacco-Oil-Plastic Triangle
The science denial king.
The science denial king.
S3, Ep8 | Meet The Harrisons
The godparents of greenwashing.
The godparents of greenwashing.
S3, Ep1 | The Father of Public Relations
Standard Oil and the first modern PR guy.
Standard Oil and the first modern PR guy.
S9, Ep1 | The Panic
When broadcast news stations stand up to Mobil Oil, the company realizes it needs to go to bat for corporate free speech rights.
When broadcast news stations stand up to Mobil Oil, the company realizes it needs to go to bat for corporate free speech rights.