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Corporate promotion and climate change: an analysis of key variables affecting advertising spending by major oil corporations, 1986–2015

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  • Robert J. Brulle

    (Brown University)

  • Melissa Aronczyk

    (Brown University
    Rutgers University)

  • Jason Carmichael

    (Brown University
    McGill University)

Abstract

Advertising by fossil fuel companies is a ubiquitous element of modern political life. Promotional campaigns in the service of a corporation’s position toward environmental issues such as climate change are prevalent in the oil and gas sectors, where corporate image is seen as a valuable asset in managing risk, controlling negative media attention, and overcoming resistance by antagonistic civil society groups. This article assesses advertising expenditures by five major oil and gasoline companies for the time period 1986 to 2015. We examine four major factors that may influence spending on advertising by the oil and gas sectors: (1) the overall reputation of the oil and gas sector; (2) congressional attention to climate change; (3) media attention to climate change; and (4) a series of control variables including major oil spills, the publication of major climate change reports, overall public concern about climate change, GDP, and oil prices. We find that the factors that most influence corporate promotional spending are media coverage and congressional attention to the issue of climate change.

Suggested Citation

  • Robert J. Brulle & Melissa Aronczyk & Jason Carmichael, 2020. "Corporate promotion and climate change: an analysis of key variables affecting advertising spending by major oil corporations, 1986–2015," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 159(1), pages 87-101, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:climat:v:159:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1007_s10584-019-02582-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s10584-019-02582-8
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Tischer, Sven & Hildebrandt, Lutz, 2014. "Linking corporate reputation and shareholder value using the publication of reputation rankings," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 67(5), pages 1007-1017.
    2. Robert Brulle & Jason Carmichael & J. Jenkins, 2012. "Shifting public opinion on climate change: an empirical assessment of factors influencing concern over climate change in the U.S., 2002–2010," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 114(2), pages 169-188, September.
    3. Gatzert, Nadine, 2015. "The impact of corporate reputation and reputation damaging events on financial performance: Empirical evidence from the literature," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 33(6), pages 485-499.
    4. Aronczyk, Melissa, 2018. "Public Relations, Issue Management, and the Transformation of American Environmentalism, 1948–1992," Enterprise & Society, Cambridge University Press, vol. 19(4), pages 836-863, December.
    5. Charles Cho & Dennis Patten & Robin Roberts, 2006. "Corporate Political Strategy: An Examination of the Relation between Political Expenditures, Environmental Performance, and Environmental Disclosure," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 67(2), pages 139-154, August.
    6. Jason T. Carmichael & Robert J. Brulle & Joanna K. Huxster, 2017. "The great divide: understanding the role of media and other drivers of the partisan divide in public concern over climate change in the USA, 2001–2014," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 141(4), pages 599-612, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Sibel Eker & Charlie Wilson & Niklas Hohne & Mark S. McCaffrey & Irene Monasterolo & Leila Niamir & Caroline Zimm, 2023. "A dynamic systems approach to harness the potential of social tipping," Papers 2309.14964, arXiv.org.
    2. John C. Boik, 2021. "Science-Driven Societal Transformation, Part III: Design," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-26, January.
    3. Liu, Jing-Yue & Lei, Quan & Li, Ruojin & Zhang, Yue-Jun, 2024. "Resistance or motivation? Impact of climate risk on corporate greenwashing: An empirical study of Chinese enterprises," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    4. Robert Brulle & Christian Downie, 2022. "Following the money: trade associations, political activity and climate change," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 175(3), pages 1-19, December.
    5. Lacina, Michael & Pan, Shanshan & Garner, Steve, 2024. "The BP oil spill and income classification shifting of oil and gas companies," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    6. Stefano Carattini & Anomitro Chatterjee & Todd Cherry, 2024. "Voting and Information: Evidence from a Field Experiment," CESifo Working Paper Series 11599, CESifo.
    7. Ergen, Timur & Schmitz, Luuk, 2023. "The sunshine problem: Climate change and managed decline in the European Union," MPIfG Discussion Paper 23/6, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies.
    8. Hansen, T.A., 2022. "Stranded assets and reduced profits: Analyzing the economic underpinnings of the fossil fuel industry's resistance to climate stabilization," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    9. Santa, Juana Castro & Drews, Stefan, 2023. "Heuristic processing of green advertising: Review and policy implications," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 206(C).

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