BP doesn't like identity "correction"
March 11, 2008 2:05 AM Subscribe
Oh dear. Robert White at BP's Legal Department doesn't like the Yes Men's immaculately executed spoof of BP's corporate site. The Yes Men pursue the tactic of "agreeing their way into the fortified compounds of commerce", and their apology is most agreeable. Is humorous exposure of "monstrous crimes" more effective than its humorless exposure, or all a bit too subtle to be effective?
I love those guys. It makes me wish I had a womb so I could bear their children. Such refined, redeemable snark.
posted by loquacious at 2:53 AM on March 11, 2008
posted by loquacious at 2:53 AM on March 11, 2008
Christ, that website is almost as funny as "has a small willy" Wikipedia edits.
posted by cillit bang at 2:54 AM on March 11, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by cillit bang at 2:54 AM on March 11, 2008 [1 favorite]
A link to their brilliant documentary. Also, google video search results, which include smaller clips of the film. A great exxon hoax, as well.
posted by farishta at 3:04 AM on March 11, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by farishta at 3:04 AM on March 11, 2008 [1 favorite]
Humorous exposure gains eyeballs, which is good. But it also provides a release1 other than doing something about it, which is bad.
1A laugh, a shrug and a what-r-ya-gonna-do-they-all-do-it.
posted by DU at 4:25 AM on March 11, 2008
1A laugh, a shrug and a what-r-ya-gonna-do-they-all-do-it.
posted by DU at 4:25 AM on March 11, 2008
There's nothing subtle about one of their older pranks involving a giant inflatable phallus (possibly NSFW).
posted by A dead Quaker at 4:44 AM on March 11, 2008
posted by A dead Quaker at 4:44 AM on March 11, 2008
Hmm let me search Metafilter for 'theyesmen.org'...Ah yes here we are
posted by poppo at 4:49 AM on March 11, 2008
posted by poppo at 4:49 AM on March 11, 2008
immaculately executed spoof
Right down to displaying wrong because the background "white" uses a color that I've changed to something else in my Windows theme.
posted by StickyCarpet at 6:52 AM on March 11, 2008
Right down to displaying wrong because the background "white" uses a color that I've changed to something else in my Windows theme.
posted by StickyCarpet at 6:52 AM on March 11, 2008
Hmm let me search Metafilter for 'theyesmen.org'...Ah yes here we are
not a double though, so what is your point?
posted by caddis at 6:58 AM on March 11, 2008
not a double though, so what is your point?
posted by caddis at 6:58 AM on March 11, 2008
Heh. I built at least 2 versions of the BP site before that one, and worked quite extensively with the current one (which, IIRC, was originally bult by some guys from Sapient). Immaculately Executed? Looking at the souyrce it looks like they've pretty much just copied the code entirely and swapped out some text and images, which I guess is about as clever as the text and images you use.
Weirdly they've even retained certain aspects of the horrible filestructure and the use of about 20 stylesheets per page...
posted by Artw at 8:24 AM on March 11, 2008
Weirdly they've even retained certain aspects of the horrible filestructure and the use of about 20 stylesheets per page...
posted by Artw at 8:24 AM on March 11, 2008
Looking at the souyrce it looks like they've pretty much just copied the code entirely and swapped out some text and images, which I guess is about as clever as the text and images you use.
Sue 'em!
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 10:26 AM on March 11, 2008
Sue 'em!
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 10:26 AM on March 11, 2008
Aren't they protected by fair use laws? I imagine you could make a fairly good satire argument here ("drag racing" under "Business Uses" should be adequate).
posted by spiderskull at 10:41 AM on March 11, 2008
posted by spiderskull at 10:41 AM on March 11, 2008
It's likely that they just used their tool of choice, Reamweaver.
posted by wemayfreeze at 11:11 AM on March 11, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by wemayfreeze at 11:11 AM on March 11, 2008 [1 favorite]
I will have their children.
posted by stagewhisper at 2:33 PM on March 11, 2008
posted by stagewhisper at 2:33 PM on March 11, 2008
not a double though, so what is your point?
To show you some other stuff from the same people. Or did you mean like, what is the point of my existence? Cuz I'm kind of iffy on that one.
posted by poppo at 4:11 PM on March 11, 2008 [1 favorite]
To show you some other stuff from the same people. Or did you mean like, what is the point of my existence? Cuz I'm kind of iffy on that one.
posted by poppo at 4:11 PM on March 11, 2008 [1 favorite]
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Plausible deniability isn't plausible until it's deniable - so laugh it up, homeboys and homegirls. You want some Caffeine-Free Vegan Diet Coke with that entertainment?
posted by objet at 2:38 AM on March 11, 2008