Hijacking the Union Jack!

Yet again a multi-national (and ironically one of the less eco-friendly of energy companies) have hijacked 3 great things - the concept of a greener Britain, the brand identity of a properly green business and the most nationalistic of all things, our union jack!

Whilst I wholeheartedly support the concept of a greener Britain and all things that that may encourage that possibility, the reality is that EDF is neither green nor British. EDF is French -Electrcite de France -so why are they pretending to be British? Why are they not flying a french flag and making it green? And most importantly why have they hijacked the brand equity of a PROPER green energy company (Ecotricity) for their own benefit...why because try as EDF might, they are not and never will be green at the core!

Ecotricity has used the Green Union Jack for more than 2 years as a clear symbol of being a TRUELY British and TRUELY Green organisation - a fact that will hopefully not be lost on the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). The ASA confirmed it had received more than 80 complaints accusing EDF of confusing people by using Ecotricity's imagery and a further 23 complaints accusing it of being "unpatriotic" in its presentation of a painted Union flag.

A spokeswoman for the watchdog confirmed that an investigation was underway into the use of material similar to that used by Ecotricity, although complaints that the use of a green Union flag is insulting to the UK have been rejected. Do you think such a comment would be made by a French government agency or an American one for that matter - why do we not protect our flag for use by our countries great companies?

EDF attempted to downplay both the threat of legal action and the complaints to the ASA but they are just one of many who are stealing the Great from Britain. We wish Ecotricity success in defending their brand identity against the greenwashing multinational that is EDF.....after all if EDF can get away who will do it next?