Fossil Free Media Launches Nationwide "Make Polluters Pay" Billboard Campaign

Fossil Free Media is launching a nationwide billboard campaign for their Make Polluters Pay campaign starting the week of August 5th. The campaign, in partnership with the Sunrise Movement, will feature billboards in California, New York, Arizona, and Philadelphia, with plans to expand to Florida and Louisiana in September.

Building on the success of last year's viral billboard campaign, this year's effort features even bolder visuals and messaging. The billboards feature dramatic images of climate disasters specific to each state, such as the Paradise fires in California and Hurricane Ida's impact in New York. Bold text overlays the images with phrases like "Brought to you by Big Oil" and "Superstorms: Sponsored by Big Oil."

The campaign aims to cut through the fossil fuel industry's carefully crafted public image and expose the direct link between their operations and the escalating climate crisis.

"Interestingly, when we tried to place billboards in Houston, Texas, we encountered significant resistance," said Cassidy DiPaola, Communications Director and spokesperson for the Make Polluters Pay campaign. "Billboard owners there weren't willing to work with us, citing concerns about upsetting their oil and gas industry clients. They even asked if we could make the message 'more positive' and avoid using the term 'Big Oil.' This pushback starkly illustrates the fossil fuel industry's influence and the fear they instill, even in the advertising world."

The Make Polluters Pay campaign is a national effort, championed by groups like Fossil Free Media, Sunrise Movement, Yellow Dot Studios, and Climate Power to hold the fossil fuel industry accountable for climate damages through legislation, lawsuits, and public pressure. The campaign simultaneously promotes state-level climate superfund bills and supports climate liability lawsuits against major oil and gas companies.

“Oil and gas companies are desperate. They see their public support imploding. They see a growing list of local and state governments suing them for climate change. Whether it's billboards or protests or TikToks, there is mounting pressure for politicians to take on Big Oil and fight for our generation to have a livable planet,” said Aru Shiney-Ajay, Executive Director, Sunrise Movement.

"For over half a century, Big Oil knew about the catastrophic consequences of burning fossil fuels," DiPaola said. "Instead of warning the public, they orchestrated a massive disinformation campaign, prioritizing profits over people and the planet. This willful deception has accelerated the climate crisis and extreme weather we're facing today, and it's past time they were held accountable."

Climate superfund bills would require fossil fuel companies to pay into dedicated funds for climate adaptation and resilience based on their historic greenhouse gas emissions. Meanwhile, climate liability lawsuits seek to recover billions in damages from oil and gas companies to fund critical resilience projects.

"We're attacking Big Oil's impunity from multiple angles," DiPaola explained. "Whether through superfund legislation or in the courts, our message is clear: it's time for polluters to pay for the damage they've caused."

The momentum for both strategies is building rapidly. Vermont became the first state to sign a climate superfund bill into law this May, with New York poised to follow suit after passing similar legislation through both chambers in June. On the litigation front, over a quarter of Americans are now represented in climate liability lawsuits against major oil and gas companies, with Puerto Rico becoming the latest jurisdiction to file suit in July.

“There is so much disinformation from Big Oil about extreme weather change and causes from fossil fuel pollution. Oil companies could take action but they like money. A lot. Unfortunately for them, we like the planet. A lot. So we're focused on fighting against them with satirical videos, funny billboards and anything else to hold them accountable for their constant pollution and lies," said Staci Roberts-Steele, Managing Director and Executive Producer, Yellow Dot Studios

The billboard campaign comes as Vice President Kamala Harris ramps up her presidential campaign, bringing renewed attention to her history of investigating fossil fuel companies as California's Attorney General.

"Vice President Harris has a track record of holding Big Oil accountable, from her time as California's AG to her calls for DOJ investigations on the campaign trail," DiPaola noted. "If elected president, she would have unprecedented power to make polluters pay for the damage they've caused."

Recent polling shows strong public support for making fossil fuel companies pay for climate damages. A Data for Progress/Fossil Free Media survey found that 66% of likely voters support laws requiring major oil and gas companies to pay a share of climate costs, with backing from 81% of Democrats and 61% of Independents.

The Make Polluters Pay billboard campaign aims to capitalize on this momentum and increase public pressure for accountability. Fossil Free Media plans to expand the campaign to additional states and explore other creative messaging tactics in the coming months.