Since August 22, 2022, it is no longer allowed to advertise fossil fuels in France. Like the Evin law, which has banned tobacco advertising since 1993 in France, this decree aims to reduce the visibility of polluting energies. You will therefore no longer see the staging of petroleum products, the valuation of gas pump prices, etc... Even if, let's be honest, it was already very rare to come across this type of advertising, this decree is a first (small) step towards the transition in advertising.

In Belgium, nothing has yet been put in place concerning the advertising market.

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An imperfect decree, by far.

Although we can only be satisfied with this news, we must admit that we also have the right to remain hungry.

First of all because not all fossil fuels are really excluded from advertising. Gas has already been exempt from this law until July 1, 2023. Nonsense from an ecological point of view, but not illogical when you know that Europe has defined gas as green energy. However, it is questionable whether it would not be better to use advertising space to highlight unquestionably sustainable energies.

Moreover, the ban is only valid for the direct promotion of fossil fuels. It is not extended to sectors where the use of these energies is an integral part of their economic models. It is therefore always possible to advertise air transport, for gas-powered cars or for boat trips.

Thirdly, there are still opportunities for fossil fuel companies to advertise. Indeed, this decree does not exclude visibility through sponsorship, sponsorship, institutional communication and financial advertising. For example, Total can still sponsor an event such as the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France. Even if some communication channels are no longer usable, there are still some advertising strings attached to the fossil fuels arc.


Advertising as a mirror of our society

In conclusion, we can have a mixed opinion on the establishment of this new decree. While the initiative is commendable and demonstrates the will to reform the advertising world, it clearly lacks ambition. It is clear that it is not possible to do without fossil fuels overnight, but we could already stop bringing it to light. The fact of banning advertising for certain polluting sectors does not mean that they will stop overnight, but simply that we are trying to direct the consumption of the population towards more responsible alternatives. Advertising has a role to play in the ecological transition. We must therefore continue to innovate in this environment. Even more so in Belgium, where very few initiatives have been put in place to regulate the advertising world.

Sources:
https://reporterre.net/BV-Interdiction-pub-energies-fossiles
https://www.lesechos.fr/monde/europe/le-gaz-et-le-nucleaire-font-leur-entree-officielle-dans-la-liste-des-energies-vertes-de-leurope-1775009

https://www.ouest-france.fr/economie/energie/fin-des-publicites-pour-les-energies-fossiles-ce-lundi-ou-presque-3303963c-21f5-11ed-a185-6588d059195b