The F-List 2025 released today by Comms Declare and Clean Creatives has named agencies in New Zealand working for fossil fuel companies.
The report identified 14 agencies in New Zealand with fossil fuel clients in 2024-25, including well-known brands such as Z Energy, BP and Frank Energy.
Examples include:
- Z Energy working with Supernormal, Chemistry, and MBM
- BP with Lumery, Rainger & Rolfe, and Kantar
- Frank Energy with PHD, Purpose Business and Motion Sickness
Founder of Comms Declare, Belinda Noble, said the findings are particularly concerning given the New Zealand Government’s recent reversal of the offshore exploration ban, provision of subsidies to the oil and gas sector, and exit from the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance.
“Fossil fuel companies are enjoying government handouts and political influence while also hiring New Zealand agencies to polish their image. This is at odds with what communities expect and with the urgent need to safeguard our lives and livelihoods from runaway climate change.”
The New Zealand dataset is limited to 14 agencies, but the true extent of fossil fuel influence is likely far greater. New Zealand has no public lobbyist register, meaning there is no record of who is lobbying for fossil fuel companies, or how many contracts are in place.
Countries such as Australia, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and institutions like the European Union all maintain public lobbying registers. New Zealand is one of the few comparable democracies without one, leaving fossil fuel influence largely hidden from public view.
“The lack of a lobbyist register makes New Zealand especially vulnerable to hidden influence. We simply don’t know the scale of fossil fuel lobbying here, and that should be deeply concerning for any New Zealander who cares about democracy and climate action.” said Noble.
Global players, local exposure
The global F-List, covering 70 countries, shows 1,217 fossil fuel contracts across advertising, PR and lobbying. Edelman was identified as the single largest global PR firm working for fossil fuels, with 23 contracts.
Edelman has a New Zealand affiliate, Acumen NZ, and other major holding companies exposed in the report – WPP, Omnicom, Publicis, Dentsu and Havas – all have strong New Zealand operations. This includes Omnicom’s GRACosway, the Australian lobbying firm with 10 fossil fuel contracts, which also operates in New Zealand through GRC Partners and Porter Novelli.
Noble said this should be a wake-up call for climate-action focussed New Zealand businesses and brands, “How can a globally-owned agency take fossil fuel contracts while also working for companies focused on climate action? It’s like taking money from big tobacco and then running campaigns for cancer charities.
If your agency is linked to fossil fuel clients through its holding company, it’s time to sit down and ask the hard questions. What is their plan to raise this with global leadership, to divest, and when? B Corps and other climate-conscious businesses have real buying power. The fastest way to drive change inside agencies is to use it. If the exposure is too great for your business, take your business elsewhere.”
Duncan Meisel, Executive Director of Clean Creatives, said the global pattern is clear: “The 2025 F-List shows that the fossil fuel industry has doubled down on spin rather than trying to address the urgent issues of the climate emergency. Coal, oil, and gas companies have abandoned any pretense of being climate-friendly actors, and are now trying to browbeat the public and decision-makers into accepting a future of higher energy prices, and more extreme weather.
The ad and PR agencies assisting with this influence operation are putting their reputation and their employees’ futures at risk. We have the receipts that show how they’ve been a part of endangering the planet and their industry.”