Big oil has a problem. The industry suffers from a bad reputation even as their product remains in high demand as fuel for modern life. Headline-dominating environmental disasters have included the grounding of the Exxon Valdez, rupture of Alaskan pipelines, and most recently, the Deepwater Horizon debacle that spilled nearly five million barrels of crude into the Gulf of Mexico. In light of this negative publicity, how do petroleum companies manage public opinion to keep the majority of Americans on their side?

The answer is millions in ad spending every year.

Below is a current commercial featured on Youtube that promotes Chevron’s work on the Marcellus shale beds in Pennsylvania. Commonly called “fracking,” the process of extracting natural gas in these deposits involves injecting pressurized slurry of water and chemicals deep underground. The powerful force of the liquids on rock creates fissures that allow gas to escape and be channeled for collection.

In the video, Chevron makes no mention of the fracking method, and the pollution it causes that threaten both groundwater and surface habitats. Instead, the opening scene of a wheat field waving in the wind, followed by a shot of farmland at sunrise, immediately suggest a pastoral environment. These scenes emphasize the harmony between man and nature, while at the same time invoking a positive nostalgia of simpler times in rural America. In this place, close-knit community is important and farmers function as “stewards of the land.” Few clips of work being done are shown, and then only at a distance; suggesting a leisurely lifestyle. These country themes are frequently reinforced throughout the ad.

Next, Chevron suggests that the land is something which should be used for the benefit of people, a decidedly anthropocentric stance. An interview with the construction manager is interspersed with scenes of a wild river and rushing falls. “As an avid hunter and fisherman,” Tim states, “I enjoy using the land to my benefit and my family’s benefit.” In other words, nature should not be valued by its own virtue, but only attains meaning and purpose when it can be put to use. He goes on to stress the culture of responsibility at Chevron which will protect the land for future generations.

The environment is also carefully used in setting. From the backdrop of trees behind the executive, to the framing of the company logo by the colorful branches of a tree, Chevron uses nature to bolster its green image. As the camera pans from one picturesque scene to the next, the viewer can’t help but be drawn to Chevron’s vision of a wholesome way to extract natural gas.