Joe Lycett vs the Oil Giant

Last updated
Joe Lycett vs the Oil Giant
Genre Documentary
Presented by Joe Lycett
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
Production
Running time47 minutes
Original release
Network Channel 4
Release24 October 2021 (2021-10-24)

Joe Lycett vs the Oil Giant is a 2021 documentary in which the comedian and presenter Joe Lycett protested against the oil company Shell plc. It sees Lycett produce two adverts mocking the company and its CEO, Ben van Beurden, for greenwashing and meet with experts and activists who are critical of the company. It aired on 24 October 2021 to mixed reviews.

Contents

Synopsis

External videos
Nuvola apps kaboodle.svg "The Ad Shell Would NEVER Make"
The advert Lycett produces during the documentary.

Joe Lycett reviews a Royal Dutch Shell advert about their plan to reach carbon neutrality by 2050, despite a dearth of scheduled changes to be made in the 2020s. The academic Mike Berners-Lee is critical of Shell, accusing them of greenwashing by use of adverts that focus on their use of renewable energy, which makes up 5% of their operations. Lycett also consults John Donovan, a man who runs an anti-Shell website for whistleblowers to contribute to, and a lawyer whose research into Shell's adverts concludes that they have a "real risk of misleading" viewers.

Lycett speaks to the Shell 7, who did £25,000 of damage to Shell's UK headquarters in order to get tried by a jury, who found them not guilty of all charges. As a petrol supply crisis hits the UK, Lycett interviews the executive director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), Fatih Birol, who says that Shell is continuing to create new oil fields despite IEA opposition. Unable to find someone at Shell's headquarters to talk to, Lycett leaves a houseplant to be delivered to their CEO, Ben van Beurden.

Lycett makes an advert in which greenery is interspersed with images of fire, while overlaid text is critical of Shell's mostly non-renewable energy production. He gets a response from Shell, who points him to their appearance on the IEA's The Energy Podcast, which does not answer the questions Lycett asked. Lycett speaks to Darren Cullen, an artist who produces satirical advertising. He has been working on an exhibition: a bus with exterior adverts critical of Shell and interior sculptures that draw attention to the dirty water produced by fracking and other environmental concerns.

After regulators declined his first advert, Lycett produced a second one for social media. In it, he impersonates van Beurden and imitates greenwashed marketing claims as he repeatedly defecates from his mouth. Lily Cole cameos. He premieres the advert on the side of a vehicle outside Shell's UK headquarters, alongside Cullen's bus and a group of dancers (choreographed by Corey Baker) who perform around Lycett.

In Shell's reply to the programme, they say that oil is necessary as the world transitions to lower-carbon alternatives, which they are investing in. Lycett sends van Beurden a message encouraging him to take positive action.

Production

The host, Joe Lycett, was known from the consumer rights programme Joe Lycett's Got Your Back , which featured similar publicity stunts to Joe Lycett vs the Oil Giant. [1] Rumpus Media produced both programmes. Joe Lycett vs the Oil Giant was announced on 7 October 2021. [2] It premiered on Sunday, 24 October, in the 9 p.m. timeslot, as part of Channel 4's climate change-related programming in advance of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26). [3] [4]

Reception

Ben Dowell of The Times gave the programme three out of five stars. He reviewed that though Lycett is "a superb comedian" with experience in the genre, the investigative journalism was based on "vibe", "conducted over social media" and did not reveal "anything wildly surprising". Dowell attributed Shell's response to "corporate paranoia and marketing flim-flam", that is not unique to the oil industry, and said that they "blundered by not speaking directly to the programme". [5] The Daily Telegraph 's Anita Singh gave a two-star review, writing that Shell "doesn't care about Joe Lycett". Singh said that the programme was "a waste of time", beginning with a "half-hearted stunt" outside Shell's UK headquarters, continuing with an advert that made claims that "were never going to make it past advertising clearance" and finishing with a new advert "so terrible – deliberately so, but still – that even Lycett looked embarrassed". [6] Similarly, Ed Power of The Irish Times criticised Lycett's target as too much of a "monolith" for Lycett to have effect, and a "slightly random" choice when the oil company BP is British-founded. Power said that Lycett lost credibility from "Lycett driving around in a Lexus" and from the "repulsive" advert that "has the unintentional effect of making the satirist even less sympathetic than his powerful adversary". [7]

In contrast, Rachael Sigee rated it four stars in i , praising Lycett as "affable, accessible and with enough quips to keep us interested without stealing the limelight from the issue at hand". Sigee approved of the programme's focus on greenwashing and said that though the advert was not "highbrow", "the tactics of mockery, drawing unwelcome attention and being downright annoying, are as effective tools as any". [1] Stuart Jeffries, in a review for The Guardian , also gave the programme four stars, saying "it's hard not to admire him for ruffling corporate feathers". [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Channel 4</span> British free-to-air television channel

Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by Channel Four Television Corporation. It is publicly owned but, unlike the BBC, it receives no public funding and is funded entirely by its commercial activities, including advertising. It began its transmission in 1982 and was established to provide a fourth television service in the United Kingdom. At the time, the only other channels were the licence-funded BBC1 and BBC2, and a single commercial broadcasting network, ITV.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Energy Agency</span> Autonomous intergovernmental organisation

The International Energy Agency (IEA) is a Paris-based autonomous intergovernmental organisation, established in 1974, that provides policy recommendations, analysis and data on the global energy sector. The 31 member countries and 13 association countries of the IEA represent 75% of global energy demand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greenwashing</span> Use of the aesthetic of conservationism for promotion

Greenwashing, also called green sheen, is a form of advertising or marketing spin that deceptively uses green PR and green marketing to persuade the public that an organization's products, goals, or policies are environmentally friendly. Companies that intentionally adopt greenwashing communication strategies often do so to distance themselves from their environmental lapses or those of their suppliers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sustainable energy</span> Energy that responsibly meets social, economic, and environmental needs

Energy is sustainable if it "meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." Definitions of sustainable energy usually look at its effects on the environment, the economy, and society. These impacts range from greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution to energy poverty and toxic waste. Renewable energy sources such as wind, hydro, solar, and geothermal energy can cause environmental damage but are generally far more sustainable than fossil fuel sources.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carbon capture and storage</span> Process of capturing and storing carbon dioxide from industrial flue gas

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a process in which carbon dioxide (CO2) from industrial installations is separated before it mixes with the atmosphere, then transported to a long-term storage location. In CCS, the CO2 is captured from a large point source, such as a natural gas processing plant and typically is stored in a deep geological formation. Around 80% of the CO2 captured annually is used for enhanced oil recovery (EOR), a process in which CO2 is injected into partially-depleted oil reservoirs in order to extract more oil and then is left underground. Since EOR utilizes the CO2 in addition to storing it, CCS is also known as carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Big Oil</span> Largest publicly traded oil and gas companies, also known as supermajors

Big Oil is a name sometimes used to describe the world's six or seven largest publicly traded and investor-owned oil and gas companies, also known as supermajors. The term, particularly in the United States, emphasizes their economic power and influence on politics. Big Oil is often associated with the fossil fuels lobby and also used to refer to the industry as a whole in a pejorative or derogatory manner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abu Dhabi National Oil Company</span> UAE state-owned oil company

The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, known by its acronym ADNOC, is the state-owned oil company of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Energy security</span> National security considerations of energy availability

Energy security is the association between national security and the availability of natural resources for energy consumption. Access to cheaper energy has become essential to the functioning of modern economies. However, the uneven distribution of energy supplies among countries has led to significant vulnerabilities. International energy relations have contributed to the globalization of the world leading to energy security and energy vulnerability at the same time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shell plc</span> British multinational oil and gas company

Shell plc is a British multinational oil and gas company headquartered in London, England. Shell is a public limited company with a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and secondary listings on Euronext Amsterdam and the New York Stock Exchange. A core component of Big Oil, Shell is the second largest investor-owned oil and gas company in the world by revenue, and among the world's largest companies out of any industry. Measured by both its own emissions, and the emissions of all the fossil fuels it sells, Shell was the ninth-largest corporate producer of greenhouse gas emissions in the period 1988–2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Energy in Singapore</span>

Energy in Singapore is critically influenced by its strategic position in maritime Southeast Asia, nestled between Malaysia and the Singapore Strait, near essential maritime routes like the Straits of Malacca and the South China Sea. This location has established Singapore as a central hub for the global petroleum, petrochemical, and chemical industries, with Jurong Island serving as a key base for over 100 international companies in these sectors. The majority of Singapore's energy consumption is derived from petroleum and other liquids, accounting for 86% of its total energy use, while natural gas represents 13%, and coal and renewable resources make up the remaining 1%.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Energy in Nigeria</span>

In 2018, Nigeria's primary energy consumption was about 155 Mtoe. Most of the energy comes from traditional biomass and waste, which accounted for 73.5% of total primary consumption in 2018. The rest is from fossil fuels (26.4%) and hydropower.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Lycett</span> English comedian

Joe Harry Lycett, also known by the self-given moniker Mummy, and formerly as Hugo Boss, is a British comedian, television presenter and painter. Known for his sardonically camp demeanor, public stunts and elaborate set designs, Lycett has been described as one of Britain's most popular comedians.

Solar power in France including overseas territories reached an installed capacity figure of 11.2 GW in 2020, and rose further to 17.1 GW at the end of 2022. Government plans announced in 2022 foresee solar PV capacity in France rising to 100 GW by 2050.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben van Beurden</span> Dutch businessman

Bernardus Cornelis Adriana Margriet "Ben" van Beurden is a Dutch businessman who was the CEO of Shell plc from 2014 to 2022. He joined Shell in 1983, after earning a master's degree in chemical engineering from Delft University of Technology, Netherlands.

Darren Cullen is a British-Irish artist and activist whose artwork satirises topics ranging from the insidious nature of advertising, from the culpability of the "Santa lie" to armed forces recruitment propaganda.

Uzbekistan had a total primary energy supply (TPES) of 48.28 Mtoe in 2012. Electricity consumption was 47.80 TWh. The majority of primary energy came from fossil fuels, with natural gas, coal and oil the main sources. Hydroelectricity, the only significant renewable source in the country, accounted for about 2% of the primary energy supply. Natural gas is the source for 73.8% of electricity production, followed by hydroelectricity with 21.4%.

Travel Man is a British television travel documentary series, presented by Richard Ayoade and, since Series 10, Joe Lycett.

Suspect is a British crime drama television series. Adapted by Matt Baker, it is based on the Danish series Face to Face, which was created by Christoffer Boe. Suspect premiered on 19 June 2022 on Channel 4.

<i>Joe Lycetts Got Your Back</i> British television consumer affairs comedy show

Joe Lycett's Got Your Back is a Channel 4 consumer affairs comedy programme. It is presented by the titular comedian Joe Lycett, with assistance from deadpan comedian Mark Silcox, plus a guest television personality. The programme also contains pieces from comedians Rosie Jones and Sophie Duker.

A global energy crisis began in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, with much of the globe facing shortages and increased prices in oil, gas and electricity markets. The crisis was caused by a variety of economic factors, including the rapid post-pandemic economic rebound that outpaced energy supply, and escalated into a widespread global energy crisis following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The price of natural gas reached record highs, and as a result, so did electricity in some markets. Oil prices hit their highest level since 2008.

References

  1. 1 2 Sigee, Rachel (24 October 2021). "Joe Lycett vs The Oil Giant, Channel 4, review: A lowbrow but effective stand against greenwashing". i . Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  2. "Joe Lycett takes on Shell". Chortle . 7 October 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  3. "Joe Lycett vs the Oil Giant". Channel 4. 24 October 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  4. "Joe Lycett Vs The Oil Giant coming to Channel 4". British Comedy Guide. 7 October 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  5. Dowell, Ben (25 October 2021). "Joe Lycett vs The Oil Giant review — taking Shell to task, or just silly laughs?" . The Times . Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  6. Singh, Anita (24 October 2021). "Joe Lycett vs the Oil Giant, review: a protest that was a waste of time and energy" . The Daily Telegraph . Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  7. Power, Ed (25 October 2021). "Joe Lycett vs The Oil Giant: Goliath walks away unhurt". The Irish Times . Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  8. Jeffries, Stuart (24 October 2021). "'Greta Thunberg would love it – Shell's CEO less so': Joe Lycett vs the Oil Giant review". The Guardian . Retrieved 25 October 2021.