A small billboard company will remove a Greenpeace billboard critical of fishing giant John West at midday after pressure from two media-buying companies.
Greenpeace spokesman James Lorenz said small outdoor advertising company Independent Outdoor Media had put the sign up at Mentone close to the headquarters of John West’s owner Simplot Australia last week, but had been pressured to remove it.
Mr Lorenz said two companies operated by Aegis Media, MPG and Posterscope, had put pressure on the small billboard company to remove its “John West Killer Deal” sign in Warrigal Road, Moorabbin. Both companies have run advertising campaigns for John West.
“John West are the most destructive tuna brand in Australia,” Mr Lorenz said.
He said 10 per cent of John West’s catch was made up of other marine life including baby tuna, sharks and turtles, which were killed because the company used outdated and indiscriminate fishing methods known as fishing aggregate devices.
“Instead of addressing these problems, like other responsible brands such as Safcol and Greenseas, John West is clumsily trying to shut down any debate. The greenwash has to stop. Australian consumers care about marine life and have a right to know the truth behind John West tuna,” he said.
Last week The Age online reported Greenpeace had launched Ocean Apocalypse, a grim “slasher” games app. The Facebook game challenges players to “kill” more fish than John West does when it uses fishing aggregate devices.
John West disputes this figure, saying it catches most of its tuna at the Western and Central Pacific Ocean purse seine fishery, and just two per cent is wasted at that location. It claims that 60 per cent of its fishing activity did not use the aggregate devices to attract fish.
Independent Outdoor Media director Adam Whitford confirmed the billboard would be removed at midday following commercial pressure. He would not confirm the names of the companies or the nature of the pressure.
“We made the decision of our own accord,” Mr Whitford said.
“We weren’t told to take it down but decided it was in the best interests of our company. It is a single sign, in a single location and it had served its purpose,” he said.
Mr Whitford said his company had sought advice on whether the billboard breached the Australian Association of National Advertisers Code of Ethics and was advised it had not.
‘‘We have been told there are no legal ramifications, but (with) the moral obligation, the commercial ramifications and in the interests of our business, we decided to pull it down,’’ Mr Whitford said.
“What is interesting and newsworthy is that in our social media universe the erection of one billboard in suburban Melbourne appears to have achieved Greenpeace’s campaign objectives in a very short period of time,” Mr Whitford said.
The Age has sought comment from both John West and Aegis Media.
