The US Government Is Trying To Make Coal Cute. It Isn’t.

The US government's attempt to rebrand coal with a cute character, Coalie, has been met with criticism from experts like Joshua Paul Dale, who says it's a tactic to make the industry seem less threatening, using a Japanese-style "kawaii" aesthetic to counter concerns about black lung disease and water pollution.
Coalie is part of a tradition of advertising strategies used by controversial industries, such as tobacco and nuclear energy, to push back against criticism, according to risk expert David Ropeik, who notes that these tactics often backfire when people notice the disconnect between the cute character and the dangers of the industry.
The backlash against Coalie has been swift, with environmental nonprofit director Chelsea Barnes saying the character "comes across as a middle finger" to communities affected by coal mining, particularly given the timing of its release, which coincided with the Trump administration's decision to redirect $500 million in funding for abandoned coal mine cleanup to other programs.