Activists said the ‘subvertising’ action, dubbed ‘Brand Piracy’ day, would escalate public debate[2] of BP’s sponsorship after headlines in recent months had focused on the Dow controversy.[3] The action was said to be “the first of many” with “more BP branding to be targeted in the run up to the Olympics”.

One of those taking part in the action, Bridget Peterson, said, “BP has just closed its solar business[4] and is now plunging into highly polluting tar sands[5], exploring the pristine Arctic[6] and restarting its deepwater drilling operations[7]. These extreme forms of energy extraction are incompatible with stopping climate change,[8] yet BP pursues them greedily while gloatingly advertising itself as ‘Sustainability Partner’.”

Another activist, who wished to remain anonymous, explained, “The Olympics gives BP the chance to look ethical and yet lead the public down the garden path. BP pays millions to manufacture a false reputation as a ‘sustainable’ company,[9] and deflect all attention from its actual operations. This sickening marketing spree amounts to a major cover-up – and so today we took our own action to cover it up.”

A website, f-ingthefuture.org, shows pictures of the action and outlines the problems with BP’s sponsorship of the Olympics.

For more information, interviews and high-resolution photos, email  f.ingthefuture@gmail.com or phone Bridget Peterson on 07741 103 248

Notes:

[1] Cultural institutions, especially the Tate, have long been targeted by activists concerned at oil companies using arts sponsorship to cover up their environmental and human rights atrocities. See e.g.  http://www.artnotoil.org.uk and  http://liberatetate.wordpress.com/

[2] Concern over BP’s sponsorship of the Olympics entered the news last week when a coalition of NGOs and individuals wrote an open letter to Olympic organisers. See  http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/feb/17/olympic-games-protest-bp-sponsorship

[3] See e.g.  http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/feb/09/london-2012-sustainability-ioc-ethics

[4] BP closed its solar business in December 2011. See  http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/80cd4a08-2b42-11e1-9fd0-00144feabdc0.htm

[5] For more information on tar sands, see  http://www.no-tar-sands.org/what-are-the-tar-sands/

[6] See  http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-08/tnk-bp-to-spend-12-billion-on-four-yamal-fields-to-boost-output.html

[7] Deepwater operations were announced to be restarted in April 2011. See  http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/04/04/uk-bp-idUKTRE7330SZ20110404 The company still faces a civil court case over the Deepwater Horizon disaster due to start at the end of February. See  http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/68715b32-5cb3-11e1-ac80-00144feabdc0.html

[8] NASA Climate Scientist James Hansen has shown that a safe level of CO2 can only be reached if coal is phased out and unconventional fossil fuels are not explored. See  http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2011/06/05/236978/james-hansen-keystone-pipeline-tar-sands-climate/

[9] Research shows that BP’s sponsorship of the Olympics has indeed improved its public image. See  http://www.marketingmagazine.co.uk/news/1117665/BPs-brand-image-benefits-London-2012-sponsorship-claims-research/