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How to Poison the Earth and Influence People
Oil companies give millions to cultural institutions. The reputational benefits? Priceless
Reading Time: 6 minutes
“If you consciously set out to choose an industry whose public image had all of the ingredients of the perfect villain, Big Oil would be the ideal choice,” wrote Herb Schmertz in 1986.
But who was Herb Schmertz? An eco-warrior? A climate-change campaigner? No, Schmertz was head of public affairs for Mobil (now ExxonMobil), whose mission during the 1970s and 1980s was to transform the industry’s toxic image.