ExxonMobil to contest ban on ad for liquefied natural gas

John Plunkett
guardian.co.uk,
Wednesday September 03 2008 07:19 BST

US oil giant ExxonMobil is standing by a TV ad suggesting that liquefied natural gas was "one of the world's cleanest fuels" and threatening to appeal against a ban by the UK advertising watchdog.
ExxonMobil said the ad was "accurate and truthful", after the Advertising Standards Authority today upheld four complaints from viewers saying the ad misleadingly implied that liquefied natural gas was environmentally friendly when in fact it caused significant carbon emissions.
The TV campaign featured three employees talking about the energy challenges facing the world today, ending with the message: "ExxonMobil ... Taking on the world's toughest energy challenges."
In its ruling, the ASA said viewers would not see the claim about liquefied natural gas as a comparison with other fossil fuels, but with all the energy sources listed in the advert, including wind and solar power.
The ASA added that the ad should not be shown again in its current form.
However, ExxonMobil is disputing the ASA's ruling, saying the ad "does not make any claims about the environmental characteristics of liquefied natural gas - it simply makes the point that LNG will play an important role in delivering energy supplies to meet growing world demand.
"This is widely accepted by international energy experts," the company added.
Nick Thomas, the corporate affairs director for ExxonMobil subsidiary Esso UK, said the company was "very disappointed" with the ASA's decision.
"Our advertisement accurately stated that natural gas is one of the world's cleanest fuels, that liquefied natural gas will play an important role in delivering new energy supplies, and that all forms of energy will be needed to meet growing demand," Thomas added.
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