PR Watch, Third Quarter 2001, Volume 8, No. 3

To understand the evolution of corporate strategies for defeating environmentalism, it helps to look at the career of E. Bruce Harrison, known today as the inventor of "environmental public relations." Harrison's career began when he helped the pesticide industry attack Rachel Carson and her classic 1962 environmental book, Silent Spring. By the 1970s, however, Harrison realized that attacking environmentalists had its downside, and he began advising his clients in the art of corporate camouflage--a strategy that environmental groups have labeled "greenwashing."

The greenwashing strategy emerged at the same time that the environmental movement was undergoing an internal transformation.

by Walter Lamb

Keep America Beautiful (KAB) is the best-known litter awareness group in the United States, thanks largely to its 1971 "crying Indian" public service announcement. KAB's stated mission is to "empower individuals to take greater responsibility for enhancing their local community environment." Yet KAB has shown a singular disinterest in empowering these communities to address the growing problem of cigarette litter, the most prolific form of litter in the world.

Recently uncovered tobacco industry documents help explain this seeming paradox.

by Andy Rowell

Senior members of the United Kingdom's environmental community courted some of the world's most ecologically controversial companies at a seminar in late June 2001 held at the London Chamber of Commerce.

Companies such as Balfour Beatty, Cargill, Du Pont, Monsanto, Nirex and Syngenta attended the conference about "Getting Engaged" to the environmental movement. They heard talks from Peter Melchett, the former head of Greenpeace UK and now policy advisor to the pro-organic Soil Association, as well as top representatives from green groups including Friends of the Earth (FoE) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

by John Stauber

I recently stopped at a BP/Amoco gas station near the office of PR Watch. The gas pumps were gaily adorned with colorful posters featuring stuffed toy timber wolves, golden frogs, elephants, spotted leopards and panda bears. "Endangered wildlife friends are here!" the poster proclaimed. "Collect All 5--Only $2.99." The posters carried the logo of Amoco at the top.

by Sheldon Rampton and John Stauber

Nearly four years ago, a report on global warming in the Fourth Quarter 1997 issue of PR Watch stated that the Burson-Marsteller PR firm created the Global Climate Coalition to help the oil and auto industries downplay the dangers of global warming. We based this statement on a source which we regarded as reliable. Burson-Marsteller made no attempt to deny this claim until July 2001. Following a recent denial from Burson-Marsteller, however, we have undertaken a thorough review of our files and have spoken with several sources, none of whom can substantiate this claim.

The Philip Morris tobacco company was recently forced to apologize for its role in commissioning a report which claimed that the Czech Republic benefits economically from the premature deaths of smokers. Ever eager to help an old friend, the August 6 issue of PR Week asked PR experts, "How can Philip Morris regain PR ground following the publication of the Czech report?" Advice from the pros included:

• "More advertisements praising the philanthropic activities of its Kraft and Miller subsidiaries would be wise."

• "The best thing for it to do is minimize its public profile."

• "Partner itself with a consumer watchdog group."

• "Fire all of those involved in commissioning these studies, and obtain confidentiality statements from each of them."

• "Resist interview requests; any interviews on this will be no-win situations."