from Hacker News

Shell using Fortnite, TikTok, etc. to convince kids fossil fuels are cool

by c_ris on 10/7/23, 10:17 AM with 225 comments

  • by dottjt on 10/7/23, 12:27 PM

    Quite literally last week I was randomly watching The Today Show (mainstream Australian breakfast television) and I couldn't believe what I just saw within the space of 5 minutes.

    It was the build up to the AFL grand final and there was a presenter on a football field with kids kicking footballs in the background.

    Anyway, he introduces the segment and it turns out it's a paid promotion for Shell. The show then cuts to a 2 minute promotional video for Shell fuel.

    Once the promo ends, he tells the kids that whoever kicks a goal gets a $1000 petrol voucher, as he waves a stack of these petrol vouchers in front of the camera.

    I don't get easily offended, but I've honestly never seen anything more disgusting in my entire life.

  • by whatever1 on 10/7/23, 12:35 PM

    Fossil fuels are irreplaceable for what they offer at the price they ask.

    Don’t ask the West. Ask India that had the choice to leapfrog fossil fuels and be energy independent, at higher cost.

    People don’t care about our opinions. They want the cheapest options.

    The only way to transition out of fossils for energy, is to make the alternatives cheaper and easily accessible. US transitioned from coal to gas within 10 years when the economics became favorable.

  • by acomjean on 10/7/23, 11:49 AM

    Note the gas station brand of vanilla Fortnite is “Spillx”. Cars and trucks have faster electric counterparts.

    I guess having companies build out maps and use their assets was going to be a side effect of having user created content.

    Company sponsored games aren’t new (80d had 7up-spot and cool-aid man). One of this years biggest movies is a doll brand. However I don’t think they’re fooling anyone.

  • by IgorPartola on 10/7/23, 12:18 PM

    I remember going to Disney World sometime in like 2003 or so. My dad decided he wa Ted to go to the Epcot center for some reason and their big feature presentation was on dinosaurs but really it was thinly veiled propaganda for the oil industry. It included a whole lot of repetition of the sentiment of “don’t worry. While we keep using more and more oil, we are always finding more.” It was pretty gross and in your face.

    The kicker at the end of the presentation: Sponsored by Exxon Mobile.

  • by DoingIsLearning on 10/7/23, 12:30 PM

    Tinfoil moment, there is genuine discussion and protest from Gen Z grassroots to hit them where it hurts, i.e. stop subsidies and tax breaks for Oil & Gas.

    Both BP and Shell are likely aware of this and are now trying to target public transport advertisement and online communities, where they think they will probably win over Gen Z.

  • by defrost on 10/7/23, 10:36 AM

    The youtube comments already down on the official Shell trailer for this don't bode well for this being a PR success:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_UuXnHvsIQ

  • by Alifatisk on 10/7/23, 10:30 AM

    Man we have really entered an era were companies have access to powerful tools to convince people using psychological techniques.
  • by tomp on 10/7/23, 11:00 AM

    Fossil fuels caused the greatest progress in history of mankind, and resulted in decimation of disease, famine and poverty.

    Green movement has spent the last 50 years opposing nuclear power, otherwise we would have decarbonised at least 90% already (like France has).

  • by sickcodebruh on 10/7/23, 12:58 PM

    In 2015, I worked for a youth-focused and progressive news/“content” organization that posted their videos exclusively on social media. Let’s call them “Know That Event.” It made/makes its money by doing the occasional advertorial video on behalf of a company and mixing it in with its typical content.

    They announced to the staff one day that they landed a deal with Shell to produce videos about their science investment initiatives. I was disturbed by this and had chats with various decision makers. I was told that it would have a positive impact and celebrate the good investments, which would encourage Shell to do more good things! I wish I wrote down details, it was ridiculous. But they went ahead and did it. Shell never exerted any control over other content and all the news/editorial people were smart and committed, but this left a bad taste in my mouth about the company for the rest of my time there.

  • by boringg on 10/7/23, 11:51 AM

    First question - is Fortnite even relevant anymore? The kids i know don't play it anymore been like 2 years. This shows how far behind O&G campaigns are. Unless they are trying out a marketing approach in a quiet space to hopefully build it out elswewhere.
  • by haunter on 10/7/23, 11:09 AM

    > Kids today only care about online free-to-play shooter Fortnite

    Quite a statement tbh. I thought it’s all Minecraft and Roblox?

    And even then “only care about” are very strong words

  • by snthd on 10/7/23, 12:48 PM

    HELL IN THE NIGER DELTA - DOCUMENTARY

    https://www.spellingmistakescostlives.com/single-post/hell-i... (embeds https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z64LV-BSwDs)

    >One of the most polluted areas on the planet, the Niger Delta has a life expectancy of just 41 years due to decades of Shell oil spills & constant gas flaring.

  • by ccvannorman on 10/7/23, 1:31 PM

    I think the best part of this whole article is the quote from streamer GHOST WHOH (@WHOH on Twitter/X) starting "All road trips start with @shellstationsus .."

    Shell Stations US

    or

    Shell Station Sus

    Yep, pretty sus alright. I'm sure a lot of the target audience is laughing about this.

  • by andix on 10/7/23, 1:03 PM

    I see a positive side: It's a sign that change is happening right now.

    Big oil never had to advertise the "benefits" of fuel, people just bought it. This slowly starts to change. And oil companies are crapping their pants, because in some countries a significant amount of cars on the roads will be EVs within a few years.

    In Europe some corporations already switched to a 100% EV company car policy. All new leases need to be electric only, and within 3 years they will have >90% EVs in their passenger car fleet.

  • by jmyeet on 10/7/23, 11:47 AM

    Does anyone really think this will work? This isn’t cigarette advertising, which raises the profile of a directly harmful activity. Like what’s the best case for Shell here?

    If you’re going to get upset about anything in games, get upset about loot boxes. Promoting gambling to children should be illegal. That’s psychologically damaging.

  • by monstertank on 10/7/23, 2:52 PM

    For people who don't hate fossil fuels and are sick of how invasive, disruptive and insanely hyperbolic the push for renewables has been...it's nice to see the shoe on the other foot for a change.

    All is fair in love and war.

  • by notsound on 10/7/23, 12:54 PM

    I think this is the most disgusting fossil fuel ad I've ever seen: https://youtube.com/watch?v=AI2zKNNoUic
  • by ravenstine on 10/7/23, 11:20 AM

    On a topic not directly related to the article, there's a book written by a former CEO of Shell called "Why We Hate the Oil Companies" that's rather interesting. In summary, his points are that oil is not necessarily good or bad, but that the lack of effective energy policies and the inherent challenges of the field incentivize bad practices by oil companies, while simultaneously these companies fail to communicate their positive role in civilization as the media routinely use them as a punching bag. I'm not excusing what Shell is doing or has done in the past, but the book provides a nuanced take for anyone interested in the topic.
  • by JumpinJack_Cash on 10/7/23, 12:41 PM

    People have the right to know from where their quality of life comes from.

    So if you think quality of life = cool ,

    then it's true that fossil fuels = cool.

    Don't let any private jet flying tech CEO or yacht enthusiast actor tell you otherwise. They want to brainwash you to have the exclusive on fossil fuels consumption much like they want to brainwash you to pay the maximum amount of taxes while they structure their affairs through trusts in Puerto Rico, Curacao or St. Kitts and Nevis.

    Keep that foot on the pedal, they have much more to lose than we have, for once that's an advantage, if they are really so scared of climate change they'd move to Tibet or the Rockies.

  • by frob on 10/7/23, 12:41 PM

    By describing the products in detail using their official trademarked and marketing names, this article is doing just as much advertising for Shell as Fortnite is.
  • by jaygray0919 on 10/7/23, 5:46 PM

    Definitely need to switch shells. Am thinking: replace C-shell with the BourneAgain-shell.
  • by rabbits_2002 on 10/7/23, 11:31 AM

    Seems awfully suspicious that the two highest rated comments in this thread are both oil apologists and both say the same exact thing.
  • by myshpa on 10/7/23, 12:16 PM

    How Shell Destroyed An Entire Country

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uuW4AP8M4M

  • by bad_user on 10/7/23, 11:14 AM

    I understand this is cringe, but:

    > one of the many entities directly responsible for destroying our planet

    Do any of you believe this narative?

    Honest question: isn't the destruction of the planet due to the 8 billion people that have to be fed, clothed, housed, entertained? Aren't fossil fuels directly responsible for the industrial revolution and people not starving anymore?

    I get that "Big Oil" might have delayed some reforms, but isn't the elephant in the room the 8 billion people that still need to be fed, clothed, housed, and entertained?

  • by danbruc on 10/7/23, 11:22 AM

    Instead, Shell—a massive oil company and one of the many entities directly responsible for destroying our planet—wants you all to know just how rad its fossil fuel products are, and even made a whole Fortnite world for you to enjoy!

    Sure, spreading oil propaganda and trying to influence policies despite very well knowing of the negative consequences is bad, maybe even evil behavior. But making it sound like Shell singlehandedly destroyed the planet is just ignorant. Without us, the consumers, and our desire for the products made from that oil and gas, Shell would not have pumped a single barrel out of the ground or sunk an oiltanker somewhere in the process. The convince of having a car, consuming cheap electricity, getting plastic toys from China delivered across the globe the next day and spending your holiday at the other end of the world is what destroyed the planet.