According to Forbes, BP is engaged in “crisis marketing.” A BP YouTube channel dedicated to telling their side of the story is part of the plan.
Furthermore, Search Engine Watch estimates that BP is spending between $600,000 and $1 million a month on paid search advertising on Google–a small sum compared to the rumored $50 million television campaign the company is pushing forward.
The phrase “oil spill” is currently auctioning off at $1.48 per click, close to double the 82-cent average rate for related search terms, according to Google’s keyword tool.
I’m curious, what might a more effective PR strategy for BP look like?
Maybe it would be smart to show the firm’s CEO waist deep in clean up efforts? Yes, that might help to a degree, unlike this cronyism story.
On Monday, the chief executives of some of Britain’s biggest companies including Vodafone, BG Group and WPP gathered for a party at BP’s headquarters to show their support for embattled BP Chief Executive Tony Hayward.
Yes someone from WPP, a company that ought to know a thing or two about reputation management, was cavorting with Hayward while “Rome” burns.