Havas Group

Conversations with ShellBot — Episode 4

Nov 24th, 2025
by John Donovan.
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“Spies, Subsidies, and the BlackRockBot Intervention”

By John Donovan

(Shell’s oldest unresolved problem. Now assisted by AI.)

Scene: The Virtual Conference Room

The now-familiar neon-lit ShellBot interface flickers to life.

This time, I notice an extra chair.

Not a person — but a shimmering cube labelled:

=&3=&

ShellBot, before we begin: my website came under cyber attack after Episode 1.

Twelve failed logins.

Suspicious timing.

Are we expecting trouble today?

ShellBot:

John, my security logs confirm it was not me. read more

*This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan - more information here. There is also a Wikipedia segment, the Shell DPA Files, "Shell and the Spies", the Shell Leaks files, as well as books written and published by John Donovan - Kindle eBooks. Timeline of the Donovan Shell Feud. Toxic History of Royal Dutch Shell Group. Shell and the Donovans: The Full Media Record — 550+ Articles, 110 Books, 40 Years. *All created and supported by internet wizz, Nick Gill.

Shell’s Greenwashing Gala: When Oil Giants Pretend to Hug Trees

Nov 29th, 2024
by John Donovan.
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Posted by John Donovan: 29 Nov 2024

Oh, look, Shell is back with its latest masterpiece: a shiny new ad that tries to convince us it’s saving the planet while still making most of its money destroying it. Spoiler alert: nobody’s buying it—except maybe Shell’s biggest investors, like BlackRock and Vanguard, who are probably chuckling from their ivory towers.

In the UK, over 70 complaints have been filed with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), calling out Shell’s brazen attempt at greenwashing. The ad, created by VML and promoted by Havas, paints Shell as a corporate Mother Teresa. It gushes about their investments in electric vehicle chargers and natural gas (because that’s so green, right?) while quietly glossing over the fact that Shell’s primary business is—you guessed it—oil and gas. read more

*This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan - more information here. There is also a Wikipedia segment, the Shell DPA Files, "Shell and the Spies", the Shell Leaks files, as well as books written and published by John Donovan - Kindle eBooks. Timeline of the Donovan Shell Feud. Toxic History of Royal Dutch Shell Group. Shell and the Donovans: The Full Media Record — 550+ Articles, 110 Books, 40 Years. *All created and supported by internet wizz, Nick Gill.

Shell Drags Down B Corp Status of Havas Agencies: “Greenwashing Gone Wrong”

Jul 18th, 2024
by John Donovan.
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Posted by John Donovan: 18 July 2024

In a classic case of corporate hypocrisy, four Havas agencies—Havas London, Havas Lemz, Havas New York, and Havas Immerse—have been stripped of their B Corp status. Why? Because their sister agency, Havas Media, inked a deal with none other than Shell, the poster child for environmental destruction.

Havas Media snagged Shell’s media business last September after a three-month review and began handling B2C strategic media buying from GroupM in January. Shell, ever the environmental saint, spent about $240 million on measured media in 2022, according to COMvergence.

B Lab, the global nonprofit that hands out B Corp certifications to companies that supposedly balance profit with a commitment to people and the planet, decided this partnership was a bit too toxic. After a months-long investigation prompted by Clean Creatives and a coalition of 26 B Corp-certified firms, B Lab found Havas’ actions violated their core values. Surprise, surprise. read more

*This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan - more information here. There is also a Wikipedia segment, the Shell DPA Files, "Shell and the Spies", the Shell Leaks files, as well as books written and published by John Donovan - Kindle eBooks. Timeline of the Donovan Shell Feud. Toxic History of Royal Dutch Shell Group. Shell and the Donovans: The Full Media Record — 550+ Articles, 110 Books, 40 Years. *All created and supported by internet wizz, Nick Gill.

Activists to Ad Agencies: Beware of Shell’s Siren Song, Lest Ye Become Gaslighting Accomplices

Mar 20th, 2024
by John Donovan.
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Havas, the brave soul who took on the Shell media account, found itself in hot water, experiencing a backlash that could only be described as what happens when you realize you’ve accidentally helped decorate the banquet hall for the Titanic’s farewell dinner.

Posted by John Donovan: 20 March 2024

In an era where even our snacks are going green, Comms Declare, the activist group with a penchant for ruining Big Oil’s marketing dreams, has issued a stark warning to all ad agencies: pitching for Shell Energy’s creative account is like signing a deal with the devil but with less fire and more gaslighting.

Shell, known affectionately as the Olympic champion of gaslighting, has put on its best sheep’s clothing, beckoning ad agencies to help peddle its renewables and energy solutions business in Australia. But Comms Declare is calling BS, suggesting that anyone who takes the bait is essentially propping up the glossy facade of a company that’s doubling down on its oil and gas love affair. read more

*This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan - more information here. There is also a Wikipedia segment, the Shell DPA Files, "Shell and the Spies", the Shell Leaks files, as well as books written and published by John Donovan - Kindle eBooks. Timeline of the Donovan Shell Feud. Toxic History of Royal Dutch Shell Group. Shell and the Donovans: The Full Media Record — 550+ Articles, 110 Books, 40 Years. *All created and supported by internet wizz, Nick Gill.

Havas Plays Dress-Up with Shell’s Image, Forgets Climate Promises at the Door

Feb 8th, 2024
by John Donovan.
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Havas is putting on its best shoes to dance with the devil. As Havas contemplates further embedding itself in Shell’s oily embrace, it risks not just its reputation but its very soul.

Posted by John Donovan: 8 Feb 24

In an epic tale of irony that could only be concocted in the corridors of corporate wizardry, Paris’s own Havas is putting on its best shoes to dance with the devil. Yes, the communications titan, under the spellbinding leadership of Yannick Bolloré, is eyeing a shiny new PR contract with Shell, the poster child for greenwashing and environmental love letters that somehow always end up in the trash.

Deep inside the grapevine, whispers from DeSmog have revealed that Havas, along with its London-based arm H/Advisors, is gearing up to polish Shell’s tarnished halo. Because, apparently, what’s a little environmental degradation among friends? And let’s not talk about the estimated 41.9 million euros Shell splurged on U.S. advertising in 2023 alone. Chump change for a makeover, right? read more

*This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan - more information here. There is also a Wikipedia segment, the Shell DPA Files, "Shell and the Spies", the Shell Leaks files, as well as books written and published by John Donovan - Kindle eBooks. Timeline of the Donovan Shell Feud. Toxic History of Royal Dutch Shell Group. Shell and the Donovans: The Full Media Record — 550+ Articles, 110 Books, 40 Years. *All created and supported by internet wizz, Nick Gill.

Yannick Bolloré, Climate’s Newest Champion, Boldly Teams Up with Shell for a Greener Wallet

Jan 24th, 2024
by John Donovan.
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“B Corps should not be producing marketing and PR for the world’s biggest polluters.”

Posted by John Donovan: 24 Jan 24

Oh, the sweet, sweet irony! Here we have Yannick Bolloré, our gallant hero and CEO of the Havas Group, casually chilling on the French Riviera, all the while juggling his gold pendant and an impressive collection of wristbands that scream ‘I care about the Earth’. But wait, what’s this? His company, Havas – a tiny, almost insignificant global ad agency with mere revenues of 2.3 billion euros – has decided to buddy up with Shell, the world’s fifth-largest oil company. Talk about an unexpected plot twist! read more

*This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan - more information here. There is also a Wikipedia segment, the Shell DPA Files, "Shell and the Spies", the Shell Leaks files, as well as books written and published by John Donovan - Kindle eBooks. Timeline of the Donovan Shell Feud. Toxic History of Royal Dutch Shell Group. Shell and the Donovans: The Full Media Record — 550+ Articles, 110 Books, 40 Years. *All created and supported by internet wizz, Nick Gill.