Greenpeace has made a shocking/touching/impactful/sad video about Lego's partnership with Shell and it's fair to say that it pretty much squashes any happiness that was associated with those little plastic toys.
Set in a Lego Arctic, the video starts off positively showing an idyllic world where Lego citizens as they go about their day but as the video progresses things take a turn for the worse.
An oil spill starts filling the landscape with the fossil fuel whilst a haunting reworking of the Lego Movie theme 'Everything is awesome' is played over the top.
The video comes with a petition which requests that Lego cuts all ties with the energy company, the video and the petition are part of a specially built microsite.
The commercial was created by award-winning creative agency Don't Panic who previously hit the headlines with their shocking video with Mos Def which saw the rapper and actor being force-fed.
Lego has responded to the video with the company's CEO Jørgen Vig Knudstorp saying:
"The Greenpeace campaign focuses on how Shell operates in a specific part of the world. We firmly believe that this matter must be handled between Shell and Greenpeace. We are saddened when the LEGO brand is used as a tool in any dispute between organisations."
Greenpeace has been actively fighting Shell since it started and the charity now hopes that the video will be strike enough of a chord to start a real discussion around the topic.
Lead Campaigner for the Arctic Mel Evans said:
“Every company has a responsibility to choose its partners and suppliers ethically. LEGO says it wants to leave a better world for children, yet it’s partnered with Shell, one of the biggest climate polluters on the planet, now threatening the pristine Arctic. That’s a terrible decision and its bad news for kids. We’re calling on LEGO to stand up for the Arctic, and for children, by ditching Shell for good.”
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