Controversial London
billboards change from ‘OnlyFans to OilyFans’; Highlighting ‘bulging’ oil
executive pay package
LONDON, JULY 20th – Controversial OnlyFans billboards that prompted public concern have today been humorously rebranded as 'OilyFans', in a move by campaigners at Global Witness to raise awareness of the obscene pay awarded to oil executives during a cost-of-living crisis. .
At three London locations, the billboards are a satirical take on BP CEO Bernard Looney's huge pay ‘package’, and feature an eye-catching depiction of Looney, set against the OnlyFans theme.
Coming as BP and other oil and gas majors prepare to announce their profits for the second quarter of 2023 (expected to be in the multi-billions), the billboards will highlight that Bernard Looney’s pay doubled to £10 million in 2022 whilst the cost of UK energy bills soared, impoverishing millions across the country. During the same year, BP reported a staggering profit of £23 billion in 2022. The company simultaneously slashed its previous goal of reducing its carbon emissions by 35-40% by 2030, opting instead for a 20-30% reduction – a move that will do untold damage to our climate.
Alice Harrison, Fossil Fuels Campaign Leader at Global Witness, said:
“BP’s CEO saw his pay packet bulge, whilst the rest of us were plunged into a deep and damaging cost-of-living crisis – that’s something we really aren’t fans of. Although light-hearted in nature, our action today is intended to highlight the very serious issue of an energy system that pays out to polluters and penalises ordinary people.”
“The £10 million Bernard Looney took home last year would take the average UK worker 300 years to earn. This means in a year when parents were sending their kids to school hungry, and pensioners were riding the bus all day to stay warm, Bernard Looney was laughing all the way to the bank.”
“Big oil companies like BP continue to rake in huge profits following last year’s record-breaking results. Instead of using this money to help people pay their bills, or to speed up the green energy transition, BP is doubling down on oil and gas and reversing its previous climate pledges, because that’s what’s making them the most money. This is happening whilst the world stares aghast at deadly heatwaves and wildfires, and the hottest days ever recorded – all symptoms of a fossil fuels-driven climate crisis.”
NOTES TO EDITOR
The 3 locations of the billboards are as follows:
- 88 Bruce Grove, N17 6UZ (Tottenham)
- 98 Norwood High Street, SE27 9NH (Lambeth)
- 249 Deansbrook Road, HA8 9BX (Edgware)
Your publication has full rights to the footage and photography compiled by Global Witness. Here: https://media.globalwitness.org/?c=3873&k=211d5f643e
The design was produced by Don’t Panic London and film by Retro Juice