"The world's toughest job is the sum of challenges we face going forward. We must solve climate challenges through cooperation and jobs creation in new green industries,” said Øyvind Eriksen, CEO of Aker. “Aker has a 180-year legacy of building knowledge-based industry, and our employees strand ready to continue solving complex issues. We can’t do it alone, but we know what it takes, both within Aker and collectively for Norwegian industry.”

As Norway heads for general elections next week, debate surrounding the future role of industry in the green transition is high on the agenda. Eriksen is clear on the way forward.

“We have to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time. It’s not about ‘switching off the black and switching on the green.’ Oil and gas will continue to be an important part of the energy mix going forward. At the same time, we have to invest in renewable energy and employ green technologies to significantly reduce emissions, build new industries, and create new green jobs. If elected officials and authorities establish favorable conditions, we can accelerate the Norwegian industry in in a greener direction,” Eriksen says.

We’ll take it from here, Chuck

The film shows Chuck Norris capturing carbon with his breath, turning sun and wind into energy in true Hollywood fashion, and taming big data with karate chops. The humor-based ad concept challenged Aker to re-think their messaging around an important topic.

“In Aker, we constantly work to think creatively to solve the challenges of the future. This concept plays perfectly into that same mindset,” said Anja Johansen, Vice President, Marketing in Aker Solutions and project manager for the campaign on behalf of the Aker group. “Humor is a bold technique to gain attention, not least when we are addressing such an important issue. But we hope this says something about how Aker pushes the envelope and that it stimulates even more creativity and innovation,” said Johansen.

Aker has a history of unconventional film ads with messages connected to industry and solutions for the future.

“We want the campaign in its entirety to be an appeal for collaboration across industry, society and politics to solve our collective challenges. The next generation of heroes and heroines are not in Hollywood, but working at shipyards, at offshore oil and gas installations, operating wind farms, and using software and data to drive innovation,” says Øyvind Eriksen.

Norwegian ad agency ANTI is behind the campaign, which was produced both in the USA and in Norway. Director Espen Sandberg, known for movies like Pirates of the Caribbean, Kon Tiki, Max Manus and Amundsen, believes the film hits a nerve:

“It has been incredibly fun to be part of making the Aker group's new ad – pulling off a multi-location production in record time and during a pandemic. It is as ambitious as they are – which says a lot. It is full of humor and action and is a fresh and positive contribution to the work to solve our joint environmental and energy challenges,” says Sandberg.

For more information, please contact:

Atle Kigen, Head of Public Affairs and Media Relations, Aker ASA
atle.kigen@akerasa.com
+47 90 78 48 78

Anja Johansen, Vice President Brand and Marketing, Aker Solutions
anja.johansen@akersolutions.com
+47 90 58 78 58