I’ve written about studies related to the BP brand and consumer opinions related to BP since the Gulf of Mexico oil spill that happened earlier this year — first about how BP tried to rebuild its reputation in May and then again in June about how BP’s brand image was faring after the spill could not be stopped for weeks and weeks. Then in July, I wrote about how consumers didn’t trust more brands than just BP, which might have given BP some hope in terms of repairing its tarnished brand (even though the oil spill had yet to be cleaned up — months after it first happened). Well, it’s August, so I guess it’s time for what has become my monthly post about the BP brand.
This month, results from an August poll conducted by GfK Roper Public Affairs & Corporate Communications revealed that 66% of respondents disapproved (40% disapproved “strongly”), “of the way BP is handling the oil spill that was caused by the rig it was operating in the Gulf of Mexico.” That’s down from the 83% who disapproved in a June poll, but it’s still far from giving BP any peace of mind that the oil spill is behind them yet even if that oil is no longer gushing into the Gulf of Mexico.
Other brands have rebounded from similar events (Exxon comes to mind quickly), and it’s likely BP will rise again. However, the brand clean up will continue indefinitely just like the Gulf of Mexico clean up will. Fortunately, no one at BP had to die as a result of the event — something that can’t be said for wildlife in the Gulf of Mexico.
The public is fickle and consumers are quick to move on from one event to another. BP is lucky in that regard. Of course, only time will tell if BP will actually turn around its practices, launch a new brand promise, and then actually walk the walk of that new brand promise.
What do you think? Will consumers trust BP again or will they expect smoke and mirrors from the brand and company? Leave a comment and share your thoughts.
Image: Flickr
Lucy is Editor at Corporate Eye
