America wants BP to be doing every little thing possible to make sure it is taking care of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill it caused. There were issues created with tourism, jobs and the ecological balance. Everybody wants to know BP is working to fix it. BP’s TV marketing is costing them $ 1 million a week, reports the London Telegraph. Although BP’s image might be helped with that, the U.S. House of Representatives’ Energy and Commerce committee isn’t buying it.
In four months, $ 1 million and more per month
There was no response issued by BP although it has said it will cooperate with the House committee demands. BP has spent even more on marketing. This has all been in network TV, cable and radio advertising. The cleanup might need the money that could possibly be spent on better things. Instead it is just going to advertising. It is just a little bit much of a “top kill” for BP to spend $ 1 million a week although it is good to do some advertising. President Obama put it bluntly: “What I don’t want to hear is, when they’re spending that kind of money on their shareholders and on TV advertising, that they’re nickel-and-diming fishermen or small businesses here in the Gulf who are having a hard time.”
Gulf Coast region over advertised
Media Monitor suggests that BP’s advertising reached the greatest level of saturation in the Gulf Coast region where cities were directly affected by the oil spill. The oil spill cleanup was advertised in five cities in Florida. Miami and Fort Myers are two of these cities that all were in the top 10 cities for BP to advertise at. But when it comes to advertising, some members of Congress, such as Rep. Kathy Castor of Florida, believe that it is fine for BP to advertise. However, the advertising should help steer tourism to Florida and the Gulf states, instead of focus on burnishing BP’s corporate image as a primary goal.
Flow of info
BP is trying to reassure America with its advertising. Seems like it wants America to know it will make its commitments. It is assumed that those commitments are to service claims and keep up with the cleaning effort. BP seems to be keeping an eye on the bottom line right now though. How a brand is perceived is vitally essential to that line, so don’t expect BP to stop spending millions on self-serving advertisements unless Congress manages to shoehorn the disgraced giant into a confining set of orthopedic shoes with economically correct arches.
Telegraph
telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/oilandgas/7969586/BP-to-admit-1m-a-week-advertising-spree.html
BP’s ad campaign – an academic perspective
youtube.com/watch?v=t1lM2gtg1gk
