A little flooding got you down New York? With these stylish watches, why worry about it?
Millions of extremely poor people live in Rio de Janeiro, but from your private yacht, with your hot girlfriend, why would you care? That giant statue of Jesus is just so damn neat sticking up from the water!
Don't get sad about those suffering poor flooded out of their homes in Rio, look! Parrots in San Marco Square in Venice, Italy. No more filthy pigeons, now the tropics have come to Italy! Yay global warming!
"Beach holidays at Mount Rushmore, are you Global Warming Ready? Our new collection is!" (this line is actual text taken from Diesel's web site)
I wish I was kidding about this, and I wish I had misunderstood their intent. This isn't the diary I meant to write today, but after seeing an entire subway station in my home of Toronto full of these images, I had to investigate further and express my profound disappointment in Diesel.
Fashion companies have in the past done some admirable things to promote issues of great importance, like AIDS and animal cruelty. I'm not opposed to controversy, such as those famous Beneton ads. This isn't an attempt to provoke, and though they might hide behind a "tongue in cheek" defence I don't buy it. The images are playing off the common ignorance about the real and devestating consequences of global warming, to imply that it won't be that bad, and that it may even be a good thing.
All sorts of comparisons come to mind; from "let them eat cake" to Nero fiddling while Rome burns or the band playing right up to the minute the Titanic sank. None of them quite encapsulate this campaign. The French Royalty might not have cared about the plight of the poor, and Nero in that story might have done nothing to stop Rome from burning, but neither quite captures the essence of actually profitting from these disasters.
I decided not to link to the company's web site, in an effort to not help them profit from this destructive mentality. Naturally I know that controvery and outrage usually benefit those that start it, and Diesel may well see their sales increase from this irresponsible campaign. I can't help that. Being silent is wrong too. Al Gore discusses the various attitudes to global warming, and I think what this represents is much worse than mere denial of the problem. This is acceptance of the scientific reality, and goes past to accepting it as inevitable, and downplaying the consequences through mockery. Diesel is laughing at the idea that the ice caps could melt and flood the world's coastal cities. Diesel is telling us "this is no big deal, look it will be fun!"
ACTION
Here's the letter I wrote to Renzo Russo, founder and sole owner of Diesel:
Mr Renzo Russo,
I am writing to express disappointment in your new "Global Warming Ready" adverstising campaign and clothing line. It came to my attention through the deluge of subway poster ads in Toronto's Union Station. It immediately struck me as the height of irresponsibility to trivilize the serious ramifications of Global Warming in this manner.
Not wishing to prejudge your intent, and hoping against hope that your company was attempting to both sell more product while spreading awareness of a serious issue requiring all of Western Civilization to alter its behaviour, I came to your website looking for more info. After watching your video on the subject, I remain saddened and disgusted with the concept of this campaign.
You are trivializing the issue and mocking the severe outcomes of global warming. Pictures of models enjoying a flooded New York City, or seeing tropical birds in Venice in place of the usual pigeons only serve to play off common ignorance found in regards to climate change. The worst part is that it reinforces misperceptions that global warming won't be all that serious, and in fact may even be beneficial by creating tropical warmth where we live. Who wouldn't want their city to become a tropical paradise?
Well meaning concerned citizens have been working for decades to bring attention to this ever growing problem, and face an already steep uphill climb. Sadly, your campaign is not totally innaccurate in that the worst effects of global warming will not affect many of us in the affluent West. Here in Toronto, I will not be subject to hurricaines, droughts, food or water shortages. I will not likely see additional war, strife, chaos and armed gangs hoarding supplies. Nor will any of you in Milan, Italy I suspect. It is the height of Occidental arrogance and selfishness that we who primarily have caused this problem, will then ignore its effects on those who had no control over it, and have little ability to adapt to a changing climate.
What shall the world's poor do, as we alter the climate to which they are adapted, and leave them to starve in the aftermath? Eat cake? I implore you to reconsider this tact and instead act responsibly. Fashion companies have in the past shown great interest and acumen in spreading awareness of issues, particularly AIDS and cruelty to animals. Further, there is great opportunities to be a trendsetter in the new "Green economy" by being a leader in carbon neutral operations. I'm certain you have many ingenious creative minds working on campaigns like this, and they could be of huge assistance to the scientists and environmental activists concerned with global warming. Instead you have regrettably chosen to shrug your shoulders at the reality of global warming, and try to profit off it with this laissez faire demeanor.
In closing, global climate change isn't inevitable, unless attitudes like the one expressed in this ad campaign continue to dominate the discourse. I acutally regard this mentality as being worse than the climate change deniers.
At this time, and until your company begins to behave responsibily in this matter I regret I can no longer buy any of your products and must discourage those I know from doing the same. I will be posting a diary on this subject at the popular US political blog, DailyKos.com. Your representative would be welcome to post any reply you may have there, or should anyone reply to this message I will post it there.
http://www.dailykos.com/...
Sincerely,
(my contact info)
Your action is also to write to Diesel, and not buy any Diesel products unless they end this misinformative and irresponsible ad campaign.
(Images taken as screen shots from a video downloaded from Diesel, used as "fair use" criticism of this ad campaign).