Greenpeace Guerrilla Campaign Attacks Volkswagen's Environmental Record

This morning Greenpeace launched a guerrilla campaign attacking Volkswagen's environmental record. The campaign consisted of banners which were placed on London billboards paid for by other advertisers including Budweiser and Schweppes.

Of the campaign and the Force ad it imitates, Grenpeace's Emma Gibson said, "Volkswagen has spent millions on its new advert, using children and Star Wars iconography to persuade the public that it's a responsible company. It was a stunningly successful advert, so VW can hardly complain if we now turn its own tactics back on the company to shine a light on its poor environmental record."

The billboards feature an image of Darth Vader with the VW logo as the mouth. Copy reads, "Volkswagen. The Dark Side." Activists also dressed as Stormtroopers walked the streets in protest.

The campaign includes an online video which further pokes fun at the brand's Star Wars imagery and its alleged poor environmental performance.