ABC Criticized for ‘Vastly Polluting PR Stunt’

October 21, 2009

Email this story Print this post Add your comments

As ABC begins promoting its “V” series, the broadcaster is coming under fire for its method of promoting the show. ABC is owned by Walt Disney Corp., which has publicly committed itself to reducing emissions.

In promoting the “V” series, which is about aliens taking over Earth, ABC plans to send up skywriting planes in 15 cities to write giant, ominous red Vs. To add dramatic effect, the skywriting will occur directly over various U.S. landmarks in cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, Minneapolis, Orlando, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Dallas, Austin, Tempe, Ariz., and Santa Monica, Calif.

Lisa de Moraeas, who writes The TV Column for the Washington Post, was critical of the PR campaign, calling it “vastly polluting.”

“All told, we’re conservatively talking here about around 400 gallons of fuel containing maybe 800 grams of lead — aviation fuel is exempt from the EPA’s ban on lead — and around three tons of CO2, among other pollutants, if each ‘V’ outing took about one hour of flying time,” de Moraeas wrote.

De Moraeas writes that the PR effort doesn’t cross the “ecological miscarriage” threshold, but she take ABC to task because of Disney’s commitment earlier this year to cut emissions from fuels in half by 2012. Disney’s commitment, however, did not include marketing and PR efforts. Rather, the emissions cuts were part of a goal to become carbon neutral at office and retail complexes, theme parks and cruise lines.

De Moraeas quoted aviation expert Miles O’Brien, a pundit who has appeared on CNN and PBS’ Frontline.

“Marketing departments want to make a big splash, and inevitably when you make a big splash you are doing something to the environment,” O’Brien said, adding, “This is not the end of the world and they are not going to melt the glaciers tomorrow but I think (networks) should be more circumspect in pitching the carbon neutrality of all their efforts in toto.”

Email this story Print this post Add your comments

Advertisers

Stay competitive through sustainability.

Find out how at the SAP Sustainability Resource Center. >>

Unclear about the EPA's new GHG Rule?

Learn how it could affect your business. >>

EPA mandatory emissions reporting starts Jan 1st

CSA Standards can help your organization get ready for compliance. Find out how. >>

Best Practices: Product Environmental Compliance

How to achieve compliance at a significantly lower cost. Download the full report. >>

Join the Discussion

Reader Comments

Marketing and PR exempt? It’s the marketing and PR that have been proclaiming the value of being eco-conscious, how can they possibly be exempt from their own hyperbole? If so, it would then be perfectly acceptable to give away thousands of useless tchotchke at any event and call it marketing and therefore it doesn’t count? Only a marketing department could think of this.

Tom Larsen | October 22nd, 2009

Recent Daily News [ see all ]

11/20/2009
11/19/2009
11/18/2009

Charts [ see all ]

European Paper Industry Cuts CO2 Emissions by 42% since 1990

S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks

Nike Tops Annual Climate Action Scores

Oceans May Trap more Carbon than Forests

Jobs

View All Jobs >> Post a Job >>

Comments and Discussions

Trade Association on Trade Group on EPA Chemical Regs: ‘If Everything is a Priority, Then Nothing is a Priority’
"Seriously… that..."

Gary Markowitz on Supermarkets Tackle Emissions Reductions, Fuel Efficiency
"Supermarkets waste over 10 percent of their energy through improper..."

peter in ireland on Ontario May Follow California’s Lead on TV Energy Efficiency
"Governor Schwarzenegger is shooting himself in the foot! 1...."

Environmental Leader on S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks
"The survey respondents (the PDF report mentions 4,000 respondents in 38..."

Jake on UPS Trying New Hydraulic Hybrid Trucks
"A point of clarification: the Reuters press release referenced herein reports that 20 UPS will purchase..."

Custom Organic Shirts on S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks
"90% of North Americans believe it is urgent to get a global climate..."

peter dublin on California City’s Green Building Ordinance Applies to Commercial Buildings
"Why energy efficiebnt regulation on buildings –..."

Environmental Leader