Informing the public about the truth behind “clean coal”
There are approximately 500 coal-burning power plants in the United States. From its extraction to its combustion, coal is a significant contributor to air and water pollution, ecosystem destruction, and global warming. In 2007, the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE) launched a $40-million public relations, advertising and lobbying campaign to reinvent coal as a clean and environmentally friendly source of domestic power. In response, three organizations—DeSmogBlog.com, Greenpeace and Rainforest Action Network—pooled their resources to finance a counter-campaign revealing the truth about coal.
How we helped
- Public education
- Communications strategy
- Website design and usability
- Marketing and communications support
In March of 2008, Kevin Grandia and his team at the award-winning DeSmogBlog.com, enlisted Junxion Strategy to produce an informational website. Junxion teamed with DeSmogBlog.com web developer Catalyst Internet to create an informative, eye-catching, easy-to-navigate resource that would present the facts about so-called “clean coal”, answer readers’ questions, and move them to action.
Rather than present the facts in conventional fashion, Junxion developed two sites, a main informational site, www.coal-is-dirty.org, and a companion parody site, www.coal-is-clean.org. Designed to capture search results on the topic of “clean coal”, and using iconic and patriotic images and “stories”, the latter site plays on the coal industry’s “America’s Power” website, and draws attention to the overblown claims of the coal lobby. Anyone landing on the coal-is-clean site is redirected to the coal-is-dirty site with their first click.
Another goal of the project is to attract funding for a comprehensive online and media relations campaign to counter the ACCCE’s “clean coal” message. Junxion designed and wrote the case for sponsorship. It is being distributed to potential donors as part of a plan to raise $150,000 before the U.S. presidential election in November, and to bring attention to the coal industry’s misinformation regarding “clean coal”.
Case Study: Coal is Dirty
Informing the public about the truth behind “clean coal”
There are approximately 500 coal-burning power plants in the United States. From its extraction to its combustion, coal is a significant contributor to air and water pollution, ecosystem destruction, and global warming. In 2007, the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE) launched a $40-million public relations, advertising and lobbying campaign to reinvent coal as a clean and environmentally friendly source of domestic power. In response, three organizations—DeSmogBlog.com, Greenpeace and Rainforest Action Network—pooled their resources to finance a counter-campaign revealing the truth about coal.
How we helped
In March of 2008, Kevin Grandia and his team at the award-winning DeSmogBlog.com, enlisted Junxion Strategy to produce an informational website. Junxion teamed with DeSmogBlog.com web developer Catalyst Internet to create an informative, eye-catching, easy-to-navigate resource that would present the facts about so-called “clean coal”, answer readers’ questions, and move them to action.
Rather than present the facts in conventional fashion, Junxion developed two sites, a main informational site, www.coal-is-dirty.org, and a companion parody site, www.coal-is-clean.org. Designed to capture search results on the topic of “clean coal”, and using iconic and patriotic images and “stories”, the latter site plays on the coal industry’s “America’s Power” website, and draws attention to the overblown claims of the coal lobby. Anyone landing on the coal-is-clean site is redirected to the coal-is-dirty site with their first click.
Another goal of the project is to attract funding for a comprehensive online and media relations campaign to counter the ACCCE’s “clean coal” message. Junxion designed and wrote the case for sponsorship. It is being distributed to potential donors as part of a plan to raise $150,000 before the U.S. presidential election in November, and to bring attention to the coal industry’s misinformation regarding “clean coal”.
Launch website: www.coal-is-dirty.org