Oil firms pay South African Insta and TikTok influencers for ads | News24

Social media personalities from countries like India, Mexico, South Africa, and the United States have actively participated in endorsing prominent oil companies on their online platforms.

Oil corporations are compensating well-liked social media personalities to endorse their fuel on online platforms, triggering negative reactions from environmentally aware followers, who are concerned about the promotion of fossil fuels that contribute to the heating of our planet, particularly among the youth.

Young internet stars who are famous for sharing content related to video games, their adorable pets, or their superb vacations to an enormous fan base, are now surprising their followers by including promotions for gas stations, fuel rewards, and membership cards in their posts.

AFP discovered instances of these locations in India, Mexico, South Africa, and the United States that endorsed prominent oil companies like BP, Chevron, ExxonMobil, Shell, and TotalEnergies through social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and Twitch.

"Join me in grabbing some refreshments at the Shell gas station owned by my family," suggests a prominent TikTok creator, known as The Petrol Princess, renowned for showcasing various hairstyles for her extensive fan base of 2.7 million followers.

According to the platform's guidelines, her account is identified as a "sponsored collaboration."

In an unrelated inquiry, DeSmog, a platform that shares information about climate falsehoods, disclosed that it uncovered over 100 individuals who had endorsed oil and gas organizations. Among them was a Filipino grandmother who typically shares content about her family.

Experts suggest that corporations are focusing their efforts on the younger demographic through social media platforms in order to sustain their oil and gas-oriented enterprises, despite worldwide efforts to adopt cleaner alternatives and combat the significant contribution of fossil fuel combustion to global warming.

According to Melissa Aronczyk, an esteemed professor of communication and information at Rutgers University, numerous youngsters are fully cognizant of the pressing nature of the climate emergency and hold a negative opinion towards fossil fuel corporations. These very corporations are currently attempting to enhance their reputation and standing within these particular demographics by means of "developing social capital."

Certain paid advertisements have been met with a diverse reception.

A passionate gamer, boasting an impressive 178,000 followers on her Instagram handle @chica, caused disappointment among her audience with a recent social media update presenting an innovative addition in the popular video game Fortnite, supported by Shell.

"I comprehend the need to generate income, but promoting a fossil fuel enterprise in 2023 isn't the ideal approach," expressed one of her supporters.

AFP discovered videos endorsing products for ExxonMobil, a prominent American oil corporation. These videos showcased various individuals, such as a pregnant lady availing the benefits of the company's rewards program at a gas station and an influencer with a wedding-related theme.

According to an email from the company's media relations spokesperson, Lauren Kight, as reported by AFP,

ExxonMobil, similar to numerous businesses, collaborates with influencers to enlighten customers regarding the complete advantages of our fuel rewards initiative.

An unidentified representative from Shell informed AFP that the company utilized advertising and online platforms to endorse its environmentally friendly products. However, they chose not to provide specific instances. Regarding partnerships involving gasoline products, the spokesperson opted not to comment.

While scouring Shell's renewable fuel-related hashtags, AFP stumbled upon only a small number of Instagram posts endorsing its application for charging electric cars.

BP, Chevron, and TotalEnergies chose not to provide any comments upon request.

Duncan Meisel, the person in charge of Clean Creatives, an initiative that urges public relations and advertising experts to drop their fossil fuel clients, claimed that an influencer advertisement promoting fossil fuels was "likely less dubious" than one that highlights greenwashing. This refers to companies magnifying their actions towards the environment.

However, he deemed it "morally questionable in alternative manners, as it promotes increased usage of a product that is actively causing harm to individuals."

According to him, it was difficult to determine the extent of this advertising because the labeling was inconsistent.

In a single photo, research released in 2021 by the policy institute InfluenceMap revealed that petroleum corporations allocated $10 million towards advertising on Facebook within a span of 12 months.

Instagram and TikTok expect their users to clearly indicate any promotional content they post if they have been compensated or provided with gifts by the company. These social media platforms also restrict the advertisement of hazardous products. However, it is worth noting that fossil fuels are not included in these advertising limitations.

Even though it's been a common practice in advertising for a while, Meisel and Aronczyk believe that fossil fuel companies trying to attract influencers through endorsements could have negative consequences.

One of many disappointed fans expressed their disappointment to a fellow gamer who advertised Shell fuel in an Instagram video, saying, "It's disheartening to see you transition from the videos we grew up watching to supporting such an unethical and inhumane corporation."

"So incredibly distressing... There's absolutely no possibility that you were in such dire need of the money."

Not a single one of the influencers mentioned in this tale acknowledged or replied to the inquiries seeking their comments.

Meisel stated that influencers collaborating with fossil fuel companies should anticipate a negative impact on their reputation.

Fossil fuel corporations stand as the top contributors to global pollution, earning widespread disapproval from the younger generation. In the sight of these videos, the option to unsubscribe or disengage is readily accessible.