How Royal Dutch Shell Whitewash led to Greenwash (S/R #3)

In Donovan’s (2007) article entitled “How Royal Dutch Shell whitewash led to Greenwash,” he points out that Shell controls its green image with money. First of all, he tells how marketing and advertising changes their profit when they sell products. Next, he claims that Shell’s advertising campaign is not an unrealistic story. Third, he claims that when Shell got a lawsuit or problem, they solved all problems with hidden money. In conclusion, the author states that the company’s value hss fallen since they suppressed facts.

First, we don’t know the intrinsic value of marketing and advertising, when we look at only outward appearance of advertising. However, when we look at advertisement in particular, we can easily find out whether the seller’s wants or sometimes does not. So, a person who doesn’t analyze advertisements, just might be fairly taken in. The problem is they are doing it on purpose. There is a policy for consumers; however, it still requires accurate and more powerful regulation. The reason they do this, is the company was fined after being punished with a low fine. Hence, government needs to upgrade its policy such as increasing the money and making a new law for consumer.

Next, Shell’s advertising campaign is unrealistic. In this article, the author states that Shell’s carbon dioxide gives damage to nature rather than helping grow flowers. Sensibly it can’t be imagined that Shell’s carbon dioxide helps grow flowers. It could be a kind of ethical issue. So, public and environmental groups have to strongly fight to prevent them, because they will continue make pollution if nobody or just a few people fight them. Of course many other oil companies do like this, but we should make them manage the environmental system themselves. They are trying to make untruthful advertisements. So, if there is no control, many companies will not stop this. Therefore, government should control them or give them an enormous fine to stop this as an example.

Third, Shell’s management tried to all kinds of ways to cover up green campaign problems with money. They did anything if they could solve it with money, because they had a lot of money. So, we have to announce to people who don’t know about their actions online, in the street, and on any media. If it becomes a public issue, they’ll stop, because public power is very strong; also it will change to become a big issue.

In conclusion, government needs to control the company which is acting like a fake, and public and environmental groups have to fight them. Many companies have been solving their problems with money. Therefore, government has to consider making regulation of new laws, upgrading policy, increasing fines, etc. Also, through the mass media, many people should know how they are acting and hiding. Then, their play will be eradicated or decreased.

Reference

Donovan, J. (2007, July 9). How Royal Dutch Shell Whitewash led to Greenwash. HULIQ.com. Retrieved March 28, 2008, from http://www.huliq.com/26761/how-royal-dutch-shell-whitewash-led-to-greenwash