02.14.2011 04:16 PM

Funny new Greenpeace video

What’s fascinating about this – apart from the actual content – is the methodology.  With this, Greenpeace (no slouches when it comes to innovative comms) is saying that, to punch through the data smog, you need to have professional production values – and you need to be able to deliver a tough message with a smile.

17 Comments

  1. TDotRome says:

    “working for an organization like greenpeace could do real damage to his career.”

    Statements like that are why people think you live in a fantasy. You really think that will damage his career? You just see what you want to see.

    There’s unfortunate truth in that ad. Peter Kent is unfortunately positioned himself to be a shill for the PMO and oil companies. When it’s his job to be a voice for all Canadians, especially those being hurt by the waste created by tar sands mining. But, Kent hasn’t done that.

    It’s doubly sad because Peter Kent, the man, is intelligent, kind, worldly and open to ideas. Too bad none of those qualities have appeared since he got elected to office.

  2. Really? I thought the whole point of the post is about the methodology.

    The same ol’, same ol’ attack ads are showing their age.

  3. Iris Mclean says:

    Yeah Gord. Greenpeace is a pain in the ass for all kinds of people, but this ad is golden.
    Are you saying that you won’t be hiring this actor for your next movie?
    Bet he’s just shakin’ in his boots now.

  4. Colin says:

    With only one other comment I had to….
    Love the ad, have always loved the actor, and would have even more respect for him now if I judged actors by their parts rather than their acting. I’m (apparently) missing what’s illegal in this ad, or is GT referring to Greenpeace’s tendency to civil disobedience? Surely you’re not suggesting that anyone who engages in civil disobedience in protest is a Marxist or should be locked up. I’m sure a couple of minutes on Google would provide ample examples of the benefits of civil disobedience – start with Gandhi.

    • Iris Mclean says:

      So Gord, are you suffering from shark-fin soup withdrawal?
      There is help if you seek it.

    • Namesake says:

      Looks like Gord’s the only one who didn’t see Avatar — or understand who the real bad guys are.

      As for all this ‘Browns under your bed’ hysteria you’ve been evincing: you know Glenn Beck’s nuts, right? And that it’s contagious, apparently. Seriously, dude: stop watching Fox; it’s mushing your brain.

    • Colin says:

      wow. That’s not very discreet is it? But thank you for choosing to use blatant racism to defend yourself. Makes it easy for readers to see where you are coming from.

  5. Bob Wood says:

    When my father joined the RCAF in WW2 my brothers and I learned how to clean out the cow (and bull) barn. That learned ability to recognize BS has never left me. Your video is pure BS.

  6. Philip says:

    LMFAO!! Perfectly captured the cloying smaryness of Peter Kent. Good to see the oil sands chief apologist and lickspittle get served.

  7. David says:

    So when is Greenpeace going to target Nigeria’s flaring of natural gas? Or the blood oil of Sudan? Or the anti-women’s right oil of Saudi Arabia?

    • walkerp says:

      What is the point of these inane rhetorical questions? Are they meant to imply that Greenpeace is not critical of oil production in those countries? This ad was put out by Greenpeace Canada, so obviously it is going to target Canadian issues. If you want to see how other Greenpeace offices deal with their local issues, go to their websites. Educate yourself.

  8. Sean says:

    on Valentines Day, it is great to see that Ranger Gord has come down from his tower and found someone!

  9. PoliticalPundit says:

    Simply Brilliant beyond words. Congratulations to Greenpeace. This will go viral as it should.

    As a northern Albertan who in the mid 1960s watched – and helped because I worked for the Northern Alberta Railway — Suncor and the rest of Big Oil move into the magnificent environment surrounding the Clearwater and Athabaska rivers to exploit the tar sands deposits, I feel very depressed and disillusioned. This unspoiled region was the gateway to the north via the magnificent Athabaska River that was used every summer to transfer goods and supplies to the entire western arctic region.

    So many broken promises by Big Oil and successive Alberta governments. I believe in development but not at any price. With a little bit of rational planning and strong regulations it need not have come to this. But savage capitalism and gungho capitalists of the oil and gas industry – tis ever been thus — simply do not care for people whose lives are destroyed nor the mess they leave behind. Profit for shareholders and huge bonuses for them must be achieved at any price.

    The Aboriginals and the fur traders lived off that environment for hundreds of years and never despoiled it. The rivers were crystal clear and when we fished for Arctic graeling we ate it without having to fear being poisoned. Now, unfortunately, the river water and the sub-surface water are not safe from contamination. And the pollution will remain there as long as humans roam the earth. No dog dares crap in his own yard. Why do we humans continue to crap in our our backyard and then refuse to clean it up? Greed and power, that is why.

  10. The Other Jim says:

    Excellent ad, but will it really convince anyone who isn’t already onside? It seems targeted at the Jon Stewart type of crowd and, to venture a guess, I suspect that said demographic already tilts heavily towards the Greenpeace message versus that of Mr. Kent.

    I mean, I think that the ad is great, but I can’t see it having any resonance with my wife, my mother, or the guys I play hockey with.

  11. walkerp says:

    What does “the ends justify the means” have to do with Marxism? Do you just make stuff up in your head?

    Can you please show me some words from Greenpeace that demonstrate an adherence to a Marxist approach. Even better would be to also show the appropriately relevant text in Marx or other Marxist theorists as well.

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