BP radio ad featuring owners

[happythoughts 0]

I love the new marketing campaign. It reeks of every
political campaign that I ever listened to.

I've heard it used when I call up to cancel my business
relationship with any company.

For BP, it is an ad that tries to put a local, personal face
on the issue and disconnect from the bad, bad corporation. The Regular Guy technique.

It starts with some station owner talking about how they
are part of the community and employs your friends from the neighborhood.
This is the "Part of the community" campaign - accompanied by
printed posters distributed to the BP stations and place
prominently on the pumps.

Then, the best part. The most ridiculous claim ever.
"I am sure that BP is doing everything they can..."
Really? And how is that? The damned CEO can't state that he knows what is going on in front of Congress.
Your local BP station owner does? Really?

It reminds me of calling to disconnect from Verizon and
the call center employee telling me, "Oh yes, we have a
task force working to resolve that very problem."
Oh really...? How special.

The Lie du Jour.

[happythoughts 0]

Additionally, there is the difference in measurement.

When talking about what is being spilled, it is in barrels.
A barrel is 45 gallons.
When cleaning up, the measurement is gallons.

When "estimating" the spill amount, it is 5,000 barrels.
Far short of the revised value of 75,000.
As long as BP is giving the estimates, it will err in their favor.