[Nesster]

Every time I see one of these I get pissed off... these are very misleading -- start off with 'taking on' the outsize oil company profits -- and then shift into pretty much implying that these profits are 'plowed in' to the community... If they were plowed into the community & suppliers & exploration & jobs etc, there would be no profits reported.

So while it may be true that large oil companies such as Chevron - or any large company - will benefit local economies through their sourcing, employment, investment, and charity... that's not the same as suddenly converting profit to this same benign thing.

And, we may note, oil company profits are variable based on oil prices, investment and operating expense are more fixed - higher prices don't translate to a higher rate of 'plowing back' to the community.

Here's Chevron's own compilation of TV and other ads:
Advertising | About Chevron | Chevron

And here's some of the backlash
Los Angeles Times: Behind Chevron’s feel-good, misleading ad campaign - Offshore Oil Drilling

[jogiba]

The oil companies are in business to do only one thing, to get the most profits from every gallon of product they sell. Anything else is total BS. Anyone who thinks if we let them drill your backyard for oil will drop the price of gas at the pump is a clueless idiot.

[shooz]

How is that possible?
Aren't there laws against false advertising?

[Nesster]

Ya think? I'm sure there's a weasel word in there somewhere that lets them off the hook.

While looking into this I ran across the term "Greenwashing"

Very interesting. Some forms are companies touting how their staff works to clean the environment (forgetting to mention that this is federally mandated; and also that they are lobbying full time to overturn the mandates)... or setting up shill organizations that seem to support environmental causes (but are PR distraction from their true aims to weaken environmental protection).

[shooz]

It's called multi-pronged marketing+PR.
it's what they do.

[wildman]

Aren't there laws against false advertising?

Perhaps. But who's going to enforce them? - it's their government after all.
Come to think of it, with commercial globalization and the advent of gigantic multinational corporations, it's pretty much their world as well.

[reeftool]

Actually, you can extend the BS to almost all companies and all products. They all exist to make money and they all advertise to make themselves look good to the consumer so Mr/Ms Consumer will purchase their product over the other guys. Event the so called "green" businesses are there to earn a profit.

[Nesster]

That's true. But for example, while Hoya/Pentax is in it for the profit, and won't usually point out the advantages of the other guy's cameras, at least Pentax doesn't go for outright misleads the way some of the companies do.

I find the 'feel good' deception that 'profits' are in fact re-invested in the 'community' particularly distasteful. And the practice of claiming to be leading the green charge, while in fact working furiously to change the laws for the worse.

[wildman]

They all exist to make money

I wonder sometimes if with these giant corporations it hasn't gone beyond just money to the gaining of power for it's own sake. If the Supremes say a corporation is an individual than it's an individual with a sociopathic personality.

Profile of the Sociopath:
Glibness and Superficial Charm
Feels entitled to certain things as "their right."
Has no problem lying coolly and easily
Lack of Remorse, Shame or Guilt
Callousness/Lack of Empathy
Irresponsibility
Parasitic Lifestyle
Criminal or Entrepreneurial Versatility
Changes their image as needed to avoid prosecution.
Changes life story readily.

[jeffkrol]

I wonder sometimes if with these giant corporations it hasn't gone beyond just money to the gaining of power for it's own sake. If the Supremes say a corporation is an individual than it's an individual with a sociopathic personality.

Profile of the Sociopath:
Glibness and Superficial Charm
Feels entitled to certain things as "their right."
Has no problem lying coolly and easily
Lack of Remorse, Shame or Guilt
Callousness/Lack of Empathy
Irresponsibility
Parasitic Lifestyle
Criminal or Entrepreneurial Versatility
Changes their image as needed to avoid prosecution.
Changes life story readily.

Is that a definition of "politician"????

[Wheatfield]

I find the 'feel good' deception that 'profits' are in fact re-invested in the 'community' particularly distasteful.

It's not a deception.
If they renovate a gas station, that qualifies as reinvesting in the community.
The term is very feel good, and makes us think of cute puppies being saved from cruel cages and being re-homed with loving families, but it is a meaningless term.

[wildman]

Is that a definition of "politician"????

Touche.

[jolepp]

From Propaganda - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

As opposed to impartially providing information, propaganda, in its most basic sense, presents information primarily to influence an audience. Propaganda often presents facts selectively (thus possibly lying by omission) to encourage a particular synthesis, or uses loaded messages to produce an emotional rather than rational response to the information presented. The desired result is a change of the attitude toward the subject in the target audience to further a political agenda.

With this 'propaganda' without qualification is 'political propaganda'. When the agenda promoted is the sale of a product, or the benefit of a business in a more general sense as in this case, I suppose it is fair to call such communication 'commercial propaganda'. Unfortunately most marketing qualifies as such. In particular, lying by omission and appealing to emotion (rather than reason) are typical of marketing. To add injury to insult the cost of marketing is borne by the consumers. Also, correct information applied in the open market by the consumers to make rational decisions is what is supposed to make capitalism beneficial to the consumer and society in general. Systematically distorting the information pulls the rug under that idea.

[Nesster]

It's not a deception.
If they renovate a gas station, that qualifies as reinvesting in the community.

And that is fine as far as it goes. I wouldn't mind that. What I mind is that they claim to be using their *PROFIT* to renovate that gas station. As far as I know, the gas station renovation comes before the profit, as an expense of doing business, most likely amortized under the most favorable tax treatment etc.

The only ones they are reinvesting their profits in are management, then stockholders.