Channel 4’s in-house creative agency 4creative has taken the concept of a carbon footprint to disturbing new heights with an attention-grabbing ad using ‘carbon skidmarks’ to mark the start of its Climate Change season.
Set to feature in cinemas, online and OOH spaces from 6 November, the advert – directed by GRANDMAS and produced by Academy Films – calls out CEOs of big businesses and politicians for failing to do enough to reduce their impact on the planet.
The campaign features the business and political elite celebrating their elaborate lifestyles and soaring profits as they dance around in carbon-stained underpants.
It builds upon the premise that individuals are often asked to make behavioural changes to reduce their carbon footprint, instead calling out the actions and inactions of those in positions of power.
Creative directors for 4 Creative Andy Vasey and Dan Warner said the campaign creates an “unignorable visual for an unignorable subject”, adding that “people are recycling their backsides off but are people in power doing enough in return?”
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The ad opens with suited businessmen sipping champagne on a private jet before ripping off their trousers and twerking in oil-stained white underpants – representing their carbon skidmark.
They then move to the boardroom where an executive boasts of soaring fossil fuel profits – which kickstarts the oily twerking once more. The final scene takes place in a political debating chamber where papers are strewn in disarray as politicians punch the air, while celebrating and dancing in their underpants.
A voiceover says, “We’re worried about our carbon footprint. But are those in power doing enough about their carbon skidmark? The Climate Change season, coming soon on Channel 4”.
“When it comes to climate change the focus is often put on individuals to try harder which can lead to feelings of guilt, anxiety and helplessness, especially among younger generations,” said Channel 4 head of brand campaigns Nic Moran.
“At Channel 4 we believe in our mission to challenge with purpose as we ask our audience ‘are those with power doing enough to combat the climate crisis?’”
107 Comments. Leave new
Absolutely disgraceful. Channel 4 should be ashamed of themselves. Stop this advert. Even the people in the advert should be ashamed of themselves how can they sexualise their adverts like that. Gyrating and blavk marks on underpants. Simulating sex it should be banned. People aren’t remembering what the advert is about only that it is disgraceful. Why do you think you can get away with it.
Disgusting advert channel 4 should be ashamed of it self
Absolutely disgusting advert.
I dare say this advert might appeal to 14 year olds, it fails to get the message across at all levels. I find it offensive and it achieves nothing
Elizabeth Murphy
The adverts a disgrace , shown at 7.30am on channel 4 is so wrong
Shocking advert absolutely disgusting it seems channel 4 can broadcast anything in the name of unfounded climate clames typical of the left wing woke tree hugger channel
Unfortunately it’s the sad world we live in at the moment bored of all of it more concerned on trying to provide food for my children but the loony lefties that don’t need to work that spend there days sticking thereselves to the tarmac don’t have that problem do
They
This advert reaches an 11 on the disgusting meter, and that’s a scale that only goes up to 10.
Ugh ugh ugh. The most gross ad I’ve ever seen. Ive complained to OfCom
BAN IT NOW. What an appauling advert. Myself and husband find it vulgar and offensive certainly NOT coming across with the right intention. So glad my grandchildren havnt seen it.
Find the ad offensive and change channel immediately not clever at all
Enough already. You made your point- people are talking- move on. Nearly the holidays….I’d rather look at a Venus fly trap!
Both my husband & I find this advert VERY offensive. It needs to be stopped now.
Agree 100%
Totally agree
If this advert is representative of your in house advertising agency then there is a need to replace them and for the executives that authorised this abomination to be removed as well. Without any pension or pay offs.
I agree with all the above ,it’s a repulsive ,disgusting advert. Needs to be taken down immediately. Sue
I have emailed Channel 4 with my complaint about this ridiculous and offensive advert. What is the matter with these advertiser’s, how do they get away with it.? They are not helping Climate Change, quite the reverse. Channel 4 needs to take a long hard look at itself.
Totally discusting advertisment
Appalling advert. Gross. Makes me far less likely to watch. Totally unnecessary twerking in House of Commons and the mace. How did this get passed? Completely inappropriate for children to watch.
This advert is utterly disgusting! It should be removed immediately
I find this advert very distasteful and embarrassing especially for people who have to live with incontinence problems on a daily basis to have this blasted across tv screens disgusts me
Disgusting! This advert is not necessary! I am totally disgusted with the marketing of this! What messages does this leave our young and children? How are our future generations supposed to respect the elder/ parents and grown ups if they see these obscene antics of stupid adults! This ad has made me sick to the stomach! There are other ways we could demonstrate carbon foot print to our future generation! I am a retired teacher and am horrified! This ad should be banned!
Totally agree should be banned
Absolutely vile????
I complained to Channel 4 stating that I found it disgusting & that it totally repulsed me. This makes it highly unlikely for me to consider watching the programmes. Who on earth authorised such crudeness?
I find this advert totally offensive and inappropriate for viewing on daytime tv
Absolutely foul *Pukes*
I am highly offended and disgusted with the advert which should ve enough to get it removed
Children watching ,this is shameful. Masturbation, anal defecation, depictions of excrement. And this is a trailer (without a warning) at 6.30 pm. Even within a mainstream late night programme this would have been gratuitous and tasteless. Without doubt the most disgusting minute in television history.
Well what did you expect???
I don’t know of any institution that hasn’t got corruption in it, especially in the UK.
NO PUNISHMENT FOR FAILURE
Tried to leave a reply but not accepting it for some reason???
Whilst agreeing with Channel 4 for raising this issue I do find the content of the advert as degrading and needlessly sexual given the time it is shown.
I did report this advert/trailer to ASA agency .. they sent a standard response. Report it to chanel 4
Oh come on! What a vile advert to show on a Channel which is showing child-appropriate comedy series!!
Whoever thought this trailer was suitable viewing really needs investigating, because there is something in their brain which isn’t functioning properly.
Worst advert ever. Message unintelligible. Disgusting images.
Totally offensive advert – disgraceful depicting people soiling their underwear & sexually charged moves – needs taking off air
I agree Joan. My comments are not being shown as yet!
This is absolutely revolting and is being shown inappropriately before the watershed, where children will see it. It’s not only revolting, it’s suggestive and totally inappropriate. Quite sickening that this is passed by the ASA.
A quite disgusting advert and I found it offensive and not effective in getting the message over it wished to convey – Channel4’s inhouse agency needs a springclean to clear out whoever conceived this concept and whoever approved it.
It was shown on a break during a child-appropriate comedy series! I just turned it off quickly – how can that be the object of an advertisement! My description of this ad was censored
Absolutely disgusting advert, one of the biggest wastes of taxpayers money. It’s vulgar and in very poor taste. Government should be ashamed .
I think this advert is awful ,digrading and extremely childish ,how can you take anything seriously when you do this , whoever thought of this ,and allowed it to be on the tv wants sacking !!
VILE ADVERT, TOTALLY UNNECESSARY, WHATS YOUR POINT?
SO DISGUSTED BY IT VISUALLY I COULD NOT TELL YOU WHAT ITS ABOUT
SO OBVIOUSLY NOT WORTH THE COST OF FILMING OR SHOWING
Please leave people’s comments.
Absolutely disgraceful. Abhorrent. Vulgar. Disgusting. I have never had an advert have this effect on me and my whole family. I do not want to see it, ever! And to use Parliament as a backdrop, where people are supposed to ve responsible for running the Country, makes me ashamed. We will be complaining to C5 and the ASA in more detail.
The advert makes me feel physically sick and I agree with other comments. The advert is still being shown. It was on 5 minutes ago ay 6.30pm. How on earth did it get passed for broadcast ?
Absolutely shocking advert, introducing potty training with my little one and he becomes really upset. This during day time TV is wholly inappropriate
I’ve seen this TV Advert so many times in the morning on Channel 4 and this is an explicit advert that is completely inappropriate, disgusting and vulgar which is completely not suitable for children to see and which should be banned.
There are so many better ways to promote this important topic. This is puerile and vile.
Well done Ch 4 a brilliant ad to highlight the fact that fatcats are making billions and don’t give a s*** about the environment, no pun intended…
I think there is way to get a point across, however, as much as I agree with the point it is trying to make, it’s an absolutely revolting advert.
This is very offensive and I am pleased that neither my parents or children were present when it came on the TV. Both wife and i were discussed by this. What a lack of moral fibre shows i. Our society if this is allowed to enter our TV space unvoiced in our own homes.
Substandard advertising. Utterly disgusting and inappropriate. Surely there are more appropriate ways to highlight an important issue. How has this even been approved to be aired?
Channel 4 you are scum, disgusting advert!
This advert is beyond disgusting. Why are the puppet masters trying to take the public into the gutter?
Absolutely disgraceful advert, is nothing sacred.
Even portraying the House of Commons, who we all know haven’t been on their best behaviour in recent years
So perhaps Chanel 4 instead of using appalling shock tactics you should raise the level of decorum in your attempt to educate, all ages, of the impact of their carbon footprint. This “advert” is certainly not suitable or acceptable
I can understand the shock tactics route but this was really not a good idea, quite disturbing and thoroughly irresponsible.
Why err on the side of profit
Utterly disgraceful and unnecessary – how low can we go?
It seems like an ad made by children for children. It’s totally repulsive and offensive. Channel 4 is scraping the barrel.
How has this Climate Change advert been cleared for viewing by the Advertising Standards Authority? I was shocked, horrified and appalled to watch the obscene antics of adults twerking in soiled underpants on the TV during the day when children are viewing?!?!
This vile advert should be banned immediately. Shame on you Channel 4 ????
Totally agree
I think the advert is vulgar and should be taken off immediately and unsuitable for children to see
“The role of terrestrial plants in limiting atmospheric CO2 decline over the past 24 million years”, Nature 460, 85-88 (2 July 2009) doi:10.1038/nature08133 Letter. Paper concludes that grasslands are the result of the CO2 suffocation of trees. Plate tectonics were responsible for CO2-depleting mineral formation, especially, the uplift of the Himalayas. CO2 levels dropped to 200-250 ppm from 1000-1500 ppm as forests starved for CO2, gave way to prairies: https://www.nature.com/articles/nature08133
What?
I’ve complained about this to the ASA – vile advert ! I was appalled and disgusted!
I think the advert for this program the most disgusting thing I have ever had the misfortune to see. How anyone thought that this was appropriate to advertise is beyond words.
Totally agree
Worst advert EVER
Absolutely vile made me feel sick and disgusted that we have been subjected to such trash!
The ad is definitely disgusting, but says more about the people who made it than climate change.
Really offensive advert, not tbe sort of viewing you want while eating either or in company of young children. Disgusting.
Disgusting advert, feel it will do more harm than good ????
This advert is puerile and disgusting. Bringing everything down to the lowest common denominator and presuming that the general public think scatology is amusing and interesting. It brings Channel 4 and this country into disrepute. The UK was once though of as a decent country with principals and decency.
. Recent statistical peer reviewed papers based on causality analysis show that counterintuitively global temperature affects carbon dioxide levels and that atmospheric carbon dioxide levels do not affect global temperature. R values are 0.75 and 0.01 respectively. At present this information is not widely known but you would be advised to take notice of it.
All credible scientific bodies agree that Carbon Dioxide producing human activities have drastically sped up global temperature rise. CO2 is also not the only gas that contributes to the GHG effect.
I’d be interested to see these papers you’re talking about? I would say it’s wholly inadvisable to follow the views of likely small scale research trying to make a headline.
BS
Yes, it’s a GHG, however, there is already sufficient CO2 in the atmosphere. The atmosphere is already completely saturated except in places like the Atacama Desert. Filtering for only the CO2 spectrum, the sun does not appear in the sky, only the glare from nearby land, oceans, and cities. Additional CO2 levels benefit plants and trees. If you want more warming, clear more forests. See “The role of terrestrial plants in limiting atmospheric CO2 decline over the past 24 million years”, Nature 460, 85-88 (2 July 2009) doi:10.1038/nature08133 Letter, concludes that grasslands are the result of the CO2 suffocation of trees. Plate tectonics were responsible for CO2-depleting mineral formation, especially, the uplift of the Himalayas. CO2 levels dropped to 200-250 ppm from 1000-1500 ppm as forests starved for CO2, gave way to prairies.
http://www.readcube.com/articles/10.1038/nature08133
Atmosphere already saturated with CO2. Filtering for the CO2 absorption bands, one cannot see the sun, only the glare from surrounding heat sources such as land, ocean, and cities.
Still in moderation? One of my replies disappeared.
Hate that advert..I change channels immediately. Vile. To the point I won’t watch the series. Creative? Nah.
Agreed, the’ve plunged to new depths in offensive advertising. THe effect it has is not awakening peoples attention to climate change but siimply to reach for the OFF switch as I do. Use some intelligence FGS.
Disgusting advert. How can this offensive rubbish be broadcast on TV?
Offensive advert. Makes me feel quite physically sick.
Absolutely disgusting add, I have emailed a complaint. Encourage everyone else that agrees to email and complaint. What a lack of respect for anyone that has being abused…
Totally agree – who do I email to complain
I find the advert offensive!
Agree, totally inappropriate, disgusting and offensive. Don’t know who their target group is but I think they missed the mark with this one.
I agree Joan. My comments are not being shown as yet!
It’s dreadful. It failed to get any message across, because I was appalled at the crude images.
Agree wholeheartedly ????
Me too, it’s disgusting
Me to I think it’s quite Vulgar and not appropriate for children to see
its discusting
I agree, it is not what should be shown, don’t know how they get away with it, won’t be watching any programme that needs that
to promote it.
So do I
Absolutely awful advert. It is offensive and fails to deliver the intended message. A massive miss!
Me too joan
I find it offensive
With you all the way its disgusting and offensive
Absolutely revolting and offensive advert. Cannot understand how Channel 4 think it’s viewers would find it acceptable. Switching off Channel 4 until they remove this rwpulsive advert.
I cannot bear it. It’s repulsive????
Whereas I think that the point has to be made, I see no reason for this revolting piece of advertising to be shown at 7am every morning!
To the surprise of no-one, climate cultists reveal themselves to be insane.
I am absolutely appalled by the advert, disgusting! Not only disgusting, but very sexually orientated. How is this allowed to air during the day ! My child saw it. She is 7 years old! Typical television pedos!
I think it’s a disgusting advert. They could have had dirty socks on and make footprints. We don’t want to think of skidmarks.
Saw this ad for the first time at 6pm tonight, I’m not a prude but this ad is totally inappropriate.