September 19th, 2023, New York - Today Havas Media, one of the world’s largest communications groups, was announced as the winner of a bidding battle to be the media agency of Shell, one of the main culprits of the climate crisis, and one that has deceived the public about the role of oil, gas and coal in driving the greatest threat facing humanity. 

Earlier this month, Red Havas, a subsidiary of the global agency, had begun a short-term contract with the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative to support communications efforts around the UN General Assembly in NYC, and had begun pitching to begin a major, global, multi-year communications contract. 

As soon as the information of the new Shell media contract came to the team’s knowledge earlier today, the current work with Red Havas was immediately terminated, and the Initiative will no longer engage with any Havas entities in the future.

Tzeporah Berman, Chair of the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative, said: "We do not have and will not have any ties with Havas in the future. They made a choice today: instead of helping the world move away from deadly oil, gas and coal, as called for by millions of people in every corner of the globe, they chose the wrong side of history by deciding to support the worst of the worst industry in the world. The fossil fuel industry is burning our climate, our communities and our lives. Havas decided to not only burn a client but also to help burn the planet."

With this move, Shell proves once again that big oil spares no money to sell their climate deception. According to COMvergence, the oil giant spent around $240 million on media in 2022. By signing to represent them, Havas shows that they take any money, no matter how dirty it may be.

Last year’s Intergovernmental Report on Climate Change (IPCC) directly mentioned the communications and PR industry, saying that “the media shapes the public discourse about climate mitigation” and that fossil fuel marketing should come to an end. The report highlighted that fossil fuel marketing “deflect[s] corporate responsibility to individuals” to greenwash and make climate change feel like our personal responsibility, rather than an obligation for corporate and government leaders. 

The Clean Creatives F-List, launched earlier today, documents the agencies that choose to continue working with fossil fuel companies despite the scientific consensus that this work is destroying the planet. These agencies will be remembered as accomplices to the crime of the century - expanding fossil fuels when the world knows that we need to go in the opposite direction. 

Clean Creatives Executive Director Duncan Miesel, said: “We commend the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative for setting a standard and putting principle first. Prior to this contract, it looked like Havas was on track to reduce its involvement with fossil fuel polluters. Taking on Shell’s media contract is a huge step backward and does real damage to Havas’ work to distinguish itself as a sustainability and purpose leader in the ad industry. I commend the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative for their leadership and for clearly articulating how Havas’ work for Shell represents a core conflict of interest for any organization committed to a livable future on this planet.”