Issue and Opponent: Shell teamed up with Russian oil company Gazprom to engage in Arctic drilling; Greenpeace didn’t think it was getting enough attention. They worked with the Yes Men to devise a plan.
Dilemma Action: On August 21st, the activists created a hoax event that included a barge filled with Russian and Dutch officials, a marching band, a young Russian child singer, and a giant cage containing what appeared to be a drugged-up polar bear. The caravan wound its way through the canals of Amsterdam to the city’s zoo. Gazprom held a ceremony presenting the bear to the city as a gesture of goodwill and partnership, launching the Polar Partners initiative, including an interactive website. Outcomes: The promotional video of the event immediately went viral with high-profile Twitterers like Pamela Anderson, Adam McKay, Occupy Wall Street, and 350.org tweeting their outrage. The DA did a good job of exposing the ironies of big oil: “Our polar bear circus was absolutely insane, but not half as insane as Gazprom and Shell’s Arctic deal,” said James Turner of Greenpeace International. “They want to exploit melting sea ice to drill for more oil. Shell screwed up badly in Alaska last year, so they’re taking advantage of Russia’s weaker regulations to take huge risks over there instead.” “Gazprom and Shell’s real PR stunt is persuading the world that they’re not responsible for the collapse of our ecosystems and that they can be trusted to drill safely in the Arctic,” said Turner. “But now over 3.5 million people are ready to bust the hoax.”