How a viral video could break up a partnership of 68 million pounds. / Students-generated content

The environmental group, Greenpeace, throw an emotional and awareness viral video trying to stop the deal between Shell and Lego which was selling its product in petrol stations in 26 different countries in the total value of £68m. Another part of this cooperation was that Lego was producing branded toys of Shell as its partner influencing the youngest generation to acknowledge this company since childhood.

Greenpeace environmental group has been always taking care about the environment, in general, you can remember their campaigns about saving trees and tropical forests, or overfishing the oceans contributing and awakening people in the world and giving alternative ways to live without hurting the environment.

This time, Greenpeace made a video protesting against Shell drilling plan in Arctida and its connection with Lego at one time. After several days this video run viral with more than eight millions views. Finally Lego, the biggest toy company ever, promise that they will not renew their contract with Shell. The video observed all kind of feedback and reaction, which were except few mostly positive.

Greenpeace hhasdone an outstanding job, to apply the pressure. With the global problems, swelling and industrialisation on the rise in developing nations humanity’s hunger for energy has reached unprecedented levels. The energy companies, oil companies should wake up and recognize they can not lobby a new generation that is going to inherit the earth.”

Viral Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhbliUq0_r4

One of the most controversial aspects was, as it was said before, the way Greenpeace do so. Making the video, which obviously damages the Shell brand’s image was a though but original way to stop the co-promote relationship. But as long as it reached its target leading to cancelling of the deal and helping to our planet a little bit more we found way more positives than negatives in this behaviour.

Lego has not renewed the contract with Shell, knowing that the benefits could be exceeded by the bad will and decreased reputation. Despite that, Lego started to focus on a good reputation, increasing its preferences by good behaviour instead of contrarious deals and trying to share and also raise awareness about the environment to all those kids who are buying their products. By this, they are sending a more conscious message about the environment and as long as this Danish company has incredible power and influence it can make a real difference. They are one of the firsts toy companies to reach an enormous success. Nowadays a lot of kids want to build whatever you can imagine with Lego products, and it is better that instead of trying to build something that is “destroying” our planet, they try to innovate and think out some way how to save it. By doing this, Lego takes a different stance, and also the brand’s image changes due to steps it follows. By these steps is Lego now entering to a collective called the social responsibility companies, which is raising nowadays.

However, there are still people who disagree, not with the video or the result at all, but with the way how it was done. They argue that this kind of deals, have to be treated and talked about among the two parts of the deal, in this case, Lego and Shell. It is a huge change, only made by a viral video, and this makes people worry about how the simple reality exposed in an original video, can make big important changes.

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The content was generated by students: Chiara Noventa, Sergi Marin, Ivana Fero, Martin Rezab.

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How a viral video could break up a partnership of 68 million pounds. / Students-generated content