Activists from climate justice direct action group London Rising Tide (LRT) have occupied the offices of Y&R, the ad agency behind the current Land Rover campaign, and a new campaign for arms giant BAe Systems. This is one of many actions taking place worldwide on Fossil Fools Day, a day of action called by the Rising Tide network. Outside the office, climate street theatre is also underway.

The LRT activists are posing as executives from a newly-privatised wing of the MoD called HarrionProjects, a spoof company whose centrepiece is the Harrion®, a civilian version of the Harrier Jump-Jet. LRT has issued a spoof press release saying that Y&R has agreed to launch the Harrion® marketing campaign, and also that ClimateCare, the CO2 offsets company which is working to ‘offset’ Land Rover emissions, has agreed to do the same for the Harrion®, even though the Harrion® only manages 0.3mpg.

LRT’s Sam Chase said: ‘It feels good to be joining other climate justice activists around the world on a day when traditionally the world is turned upside down. Fossil Fools Day is about using foolery to reveal the insanity of the current fossil-fuelled market madness, an insanity whose intensity is stoked to a great extent by the advertising industry.

LRT’s Mimi Santoria added: This is the first time an ad agency has been targeted by climate justice campaigners – it’s long overdue, and it certainly won’t be the last.’

The Spoof Press Release is below. For interviews, pictures, and more information as it happens: 07513 341970 or 07513 335777 london@risingtide.org.uk href=”http://www.londonrisingtide.org.uk/”>www.londonrisingtide.org.uk www.fossilfoolsday.org

Ad Agency Y&R to Launch Civilian Jump-Jet Marketing Campaign

Leading advertising agency Y&R is proud to reveal that it will be spearheading a major advertising and overall branding campaign for the new Harrion® Civilian Jump-Jet. The Harrion® – the civilian version of the Harrier – is the centrepiece of HarrionProjects, the newly-privatised wing of the UK Ministry of Defence.The campaign will be modelled on Y&R’s hugely successful work for Land Rover, which combined rugged locations, spectacular photography and a prominent claim to ‘offset’ the CO2 produced from the first 45,000 miles of driving.

The company which arranged the offsets, ClimateCare, is also on board to offer the same service for the Harrion®, (which has an even healthier thirst than its land-based brother!)Y&R’s Bernard Donovan said ‘This is a dream come true for us, and not only because so many of our lads grew up ogling Harriers back in the Seventies! Seriously, we see a great future looming for the Harrion®, and we can’t wait to get out there and help mould public perceptions of it.

‘Mimi Santoria of HarrionProjects added ‘There’s nothing to stop the Harrion® becoming the world’s most iconic personal transportation solution. And with ClimateCare part of our team, there’s every chance it will come to be regarded as a zero-emission 21st Century green zeitgeist machine!’Mick Martin of ClimateCare said ‘CO2 offsets are literally taking off throughout the western world.

We’re ready to jump into action and carbon neutralise the Harrion®’s admittedly challenging 0.3 miles per gallon in the same way as we have for Land Rover. This is our first major deal since being acquired by JPMorgan, so we really are flying high with the big boys!’