Climate activists take over WPP London HQ, demand end to oil & gas ads

Climate activists staged a protest at the headquarters of global advertising company WPP on Wednesday, calling on the firm to end its work with fossil fuel clients.

The demonstration, organised by the campaign group Cut the Ties to Fossil Fuels, an initiative linked to Extinction Rebellion, involved activists occupying the building’s lobby and staging a “die-in”, with participants wrapped in shrouds bearing the logos of oil companies including Shell and BP.

Outside the building, a protester dressed as the Grim Reaper stood atop a mock oil rig structure emitting black smoke. A 15-metre banner reading “WPP are climate criminals, ban fossil fuel advertising” was also displayed across the Thames Embankment, directly in front of the company’s London office.

In a statement, campaign spokesperson Freya Chambers said the protest aimed to highlight WPP’s ongoing work with the fossil fuel sector, which the group alleges undermines climate action efforts.

WPP has not yet issued a public response to the protest.

The demonstration comes ahead of a scheduled UK parliamentary debate on 7 July regarding the potential nationwide ban on fossil fuel advertising and sponsorship. The debate was triggered by a petition led by broadcaster Chris Packham, which received over 110,000 signatures.

The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has previously called for a global ban on fossil fuel advertising and urged advertising and public relations firms to stop supporting fossil fuel companies.

WPP, the world’s largest advertising holding company by revenue, reported earnings of £14.7 billion in 2024. According to research by campaign group Clean Creatives, WPP currently holds at least 79 contracts with fossil fuel companies, more than any of its major competitors. The company’s clients include Saudi Aramco, Shell, BP and TotalEnergies, as identified by DeSmog.

In 2023, the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority banned three Shell adverts created by WPP-owned agency Wunderman Thompson for making misleading environmental claims. A February 2025 DeSmog investigation also reported that a South African agency part-owned by WPP had coordinated social media messaging in support of TotalEnergies’ East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline.

Campaign groups Adfree Cities and the New Weather Institute have filed a complaint with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), alleging WPP’s work with fossil fuel clients breaches international climate and human rights guidelines.

The action at WPP is the latest in a series of protests targeting major advertising firms over their links to the fossil fuel industry. Previous demonstrations have taken place at the offices of Havas and subsidiaries of WPP such as MediaCom and Ogilvy.

Several UK cities have introduced local bans on high-carbon advertising, including Sheffield, Edinburgh, Norwich and Liverpool. Spain became the first country to implement a national ban on petrol advertising earlier this month.

Disclaimer: All images and content used in this article belong to their respective copyright holders. We do not claim ownership of any images. They have been used solely for educational and informational purposes. No copyright infringement is intended.