(Paris) “Come with me for snacks at my family’s Shell gas station. Between two poses of wigs, the influencer The Petrol Princess promotes the British oil giant to her 2.7 million TikTok subscribers, a practice which is in full swing on social networks, but is denounced by some fans concerned about the climate.
On TikTok, Instagram and Twitch, AFP found influencers promoting the world’s biggest oil companies such as BP, Chevron, Exxon Mobil, Shell and TotalEnergies.
Amidst their usual content based on football, video games or travel, these celebrities from India, Mexico, South Africa and the United States do not hesitate to praise the merits of the latest loyalty program big oil companies.
According to DeSmog, a climate misinformation website, more than 100 influencers have promoted oil and gas companies since 2017.
Pointed out for its role in global warming, “the fossil fuel industry wants to build social capital among young people,” Melissa Aronczyk, professor of communication and information at Rutgers University, told AFP.
AFP reporters found videos promoting ExxonMobil services, including that of a pregnant mother at a gas station using the company’s rewards program, and that of a wedding influencer.
“ExxonMobil, like many companies, is working with influencers to educate consumers about the benefits of our fuel rewards program,” company spokeswoman Lauren Kight told AFP.
A Shell spokeswoman told AFP the group used advertising and social media to promote its low-carbon products, but declined to comment on paid partnerships for petroleum products.
Based on Shell’s renewable energy keywords, AFP found only a handful of Instagram posts advertising its electric car charging app.
BP, Chevron and TotalEnergies, for their part, did not respond to AFP’s requests.
Oil companies spent almost $10 million on Facebook ads in 2020, according to think tank InfluenceMap. publications.
Although endorsement by “third-party” personalities, such as influencers, has long been used in advertising, Melissa Aronczyk says oil companies’ attempt to woo influencers could backfire.
“Many young people are aware of the urgency of the climate crisis and take a dim view of fossil fuel companies, which they view as not only outdated, but also dangerous to our well-being.” she.
“Influencers who work with (these) companies should expect their reputation to take a hit and their audience to react negatively,” said Duncan Meisel, executive director of Clean Creatives, which is fighting for the abandonment of advertising. for fossil fuels.
On Instagram, a video game influencer with 178,000 followers on her @chica account recently caused consternation among her followers by debuting a new Fortnite online game feature sponsored by Shell.
“I get it to make money, but advertising a fossil fuel company in 2023 is not the answer,” one follower wrote.
“I grew up on your videos, seeing you sold to one of the most unethical and inhumane companies out there” is “distressing… There’s no way you need this money so much,” reads a video from another influencer who also showcases Fortnite’s new feature and talks about refueling at Shell gas stations.
For Duncan Meisel, a solution remains available to these dismayed young people: “the ‘unsubscribe’ button is never far away”, he recalls.
