Energy Ad "Recycles" Old Footage to Make Green Point
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles 
on 01. 6.08
Well, that's one way to showcase your green credentials: British energy firm EDF Energy has launched a TV ad campaign using old (they prefer "recycled") clips from shows such as The Wombles and Thunderbirds; footage from speeches by JFK and Bill Clinton; and tidbits from various public messages about saving energy. It concludes with the tagline: "Save today. Save tomorrow" (not as clever, we know).
The short spot also features a version of the Sesame Street song, "It's Not Easy Being Green." Through this TV ad and others to follow in print and radio, the power supplier hopes to highlight its pledge to lower the carbon intensity of its electricity production by 60% by 2020.
Via ::Energy firm recycles Wombles for ad (news website)
See also: ::Great Moments in "Green" Advertising: GE's "Sexy Coal Miners" Commercial, ::Has The Advertising Industry Woken Up to Green?
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EDF stands for Electricite de France. Though it doubtless has a UK subsidiary, the firm itself is about as British as, erm Marie Antoinette.
EDF stands for Electricite de France. Though it doubtless has a UK subsidiary, the firm itself is about as British as, erm Marie Antoinette.
A great idea. Very meta. What's keeping more companies from using "recycled" footage? Seems like they could stand to make money and/or generate a fanbase through the power of nostalgia alone.
I really love clever ads. So many seem to not even make you think! Hope they get an award for it
This advert is startlingly similar to The Recycled History of Recycling. A short film screened at the Britdoc festival and on Channel 4's 3MW strand 25th July 2007. It was made to promote recycling and was made using 100% recycled footage - something that it clearly points out at the end of the film.