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Writing Assignment #4 BPs Oil Spill Response On April 20, 2010, British Petroleum (BP) spilled oil into

o the Gulf of Mexico after an explosion occurred on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig. As a result of the accident, 11 workers died and millions of gallons of oil spilled across 1000 miles of coastline with an estimated cost of $40 billion to cover clean-up costs, fines, and other liabilities. In addition to taking responsibility for the clean-up, BP launched a unique website called Gulf of Mexico restoration to repair its reputation and defend itself from negative criticism. Coombss (2007) article Crisis Management and Communications indicates that one of the most effective methods of reputation repair for a crisis is to create a unique website or designate a section of its current website to address crisis concerns. BPs Gulf of Mexico restoration website uses three strategies to try to repair its reputation: repetition of the words commit and restore to highlight the companys consideration and recovery actions; presentation of clean images of the Gulf region to emphasize that life is back to normal in the affected region; and intentional word choice emphasizing that the accident was caused by multiple parties to deflect blame and minimize BPs responsibility for the accident. The first strategy BP uses on its website is the repetition of the words commit and restore to highlight the companys consideration and recovery actions made since the oil spill. BP attempts to show that it cares about the affected region by repeating the word commit. In the video Committed to the Gulf, which is located on the Committed to the Gulf page, BP repeats the word committed and shows the statements Committed to the Gulf and Committed to America with a white background at the end of the video to emphasize the word commit. The video also provides specific information to support commit statements such as weve paid $23 billion in claims & cleanup and we support nearly 250,000 American jobs.

By repeating the commit statements, BP effectively shows its dedication to America, the environment, and the economy after the oil spill. BP emphasizes its recovery actions to the affected regions environment and economy by repeating the word restore. BP uses the word restore in the title of two pages, Restoring the environment and Restoring the economy. These two titles emphasize the word restore and lead the readers to information showing that BPs financial and operational efforts have successfully cleaned the Gulf Coast. BP uses this strategy to highlight the consideration and recovery actions to show its audience its commitment to America and the restoration of the Gulf. The second strategy BP uses on its website is displaying clean images of the gulf region to emphasize that Gulf life is back to normal. On the main page, BP displays a picture of a young boy and his grandfather fishing in a clean ocean, which reflects a happy family enjoying its time in the clean Gulf region. On the pages Early restoration projects and Restoring the economy, BP displays healthy looking pelicans on the clean Gulf Coast and people buying fresh fishes in a seafood market. These pictures imply the message that BP has successfully restored natural resources and a safe environment in the affected region. BP displays a picture that shows tourists enjoying the clean ocean and sandy beach on the page Promoting tourism along the Gulf Coast. This picture delivers a clean image of the Gulf Coast to the viewers to emphasize that BP has restored tourism and leisure in the affected region. The video located on the Committed to the Gulf page also shows people riding boats in a clean ocean and people scuba diving in a clean deep-sea. This video shows people enjoying their time in the clean Gulf Coast area to highlight that BP has successfully recovered the affected regions environment as if the tragedy never happened. BP effectively delivers clean images of the Gulf Coast to the readers to

emphasize that life is back to normal along the Gulf Coast and that it has fulfilled its commitment to the Gulf Coast. The last strategy BP uses on its website is intentional word choice emphasizing that the accident was caused by multiple parties to deflect blame and minimize BPs responsibility for the accident. According to the Coombss (2007) article Crisis Management and Communications, the excuse strategy is one of the reputation repair strategies. In the Investigations and Legal Proceedings page, BP provides internal and external investigation information and states, The BP investigation concluded that no single cause was responsible for the accident and the accident resulted from multiple causes and was due to the actions of multiple parties. These two sentences show that the crisis was a result of someone elses actions. The words no single cause and multiple parties also highlight that the accident was caused by multiple parties and defend BP from negative criticism that said it was solely responsible for the oil spill. On the pages Deepwater Horizon accident and response and Investigations and Legal Proceedings, BP uses the words accident and result instead of using words with negative connotations such as negligence and consequences. These word choices imply that BP was also a victim of the crisis and the crisis was an accident out of BPs control. On the Deepwater Horizon accident and response page, BP uses the word regret instead of using words such as apology or sorry. By using the word regret, BP avoids admitting that the crisis was a result of BPs operations. BPs business was faced potential losses from the impact the spill had on its reputation so it wanted to ensure customers that it was not responsible. BP uses this strategy to protect itself from negative criticism and to minimize its responsibility for the crisis.

BPs website uses repetition of the words commit and restore to highlight the companys consideration and recovery actions, clean images of Gulf region to emphasize that life is back to normal in the affected region, and word choice emphasizing that the accident was caused by multiple parties to deflect blame and minimize BPs responsibility for the accident to attempt to repair the companys reputation and defend it from negative criticism. BPs strategies were effective because BP easily delivers its key message and positive information to readers by using the strategies. While people will never forget about the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, BPs website successfully convinces readers that the company is dedicated to restoring the Gulf of Mexico and was not fully responsible for the accident.

Works Cited Coombs, T. (2007, October 30). Crisis Management and Communications. Retrieved from https://blackboard.temple.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-3249484-dt-content-rid40222221_2/courses/117201320420/Crisis%20Management%20and%20Communication s.pdf

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