RSS feed“Are brands more powerful than governments?”
A post on the ‘Think Progress’ website shows a segment from a recent BBC report that revealed a “direct link between the tobacco companies and the claim that climate change isn’t happening.” In 1993 Philip Morris set up a grass roots coalition to “cast doubt on studies showing that second-hand tobacco smoke is dangerous for health.” In order not to raise suspicion that the company was involved, Philip Morris decided to “‘link the tobacco issue with other more politically correct products’ and campaign on issues like global warming.” The result was The Advancement of Sound Science Coalition (TASSC), which was the first and most important of the corporate-funded organisations denying that climate change is taking place. It has done more damage to the campaign to halt it than any other body.
An article on Tobacco.org reports that:
An article on Tobacco.org reports that:
“Between 2000 and 2002 it received $30,000 from Exxon. The website it has financed - JunkScience.com - has been the main entrepot for almost every kind of climate-change denial that has found its way into the mainstream press.”
The first question that opened the long and fruitful day at the Table of Free Voices seems even more relevant to me upon reading this story: “Are brands more powerful than governments?” donated by the Barcelona Forum.
One of the 112 answers to this question comes from marine biologist and executive director of ANAI Benson Venegas:
“Unfortunately, this is truth. The world is owned and controlled by multinational corporation. People perception is also part of this idea that people think that brands deliver immediate benefits while government take time to satisfy their needs. (….) I think at this point we need to create possibilities where we can try and get a balance of power between brands and government as well.”
There are 111 more answers to this question. Feel free to use the information in our living library and read and listen to more answers.
22 September 2006 | 01.16pm (CEST) | posted by
Hili | |
TAGS Economic Development & Globalization | Ethical Values & Responsibility | Health & Nutrition | Media & Information | Environment
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