BP Crisis Communication, Pt II - 9 Steps

BP Crisis Communication, Pt II – 9 Steps

Seven weeks later, there are three givens: 1) much damage is being done to the wildlife and ecosystem, 2) no one is quite sure when, or how, this tragedy will end, and 3) everything BP is trying to do from a public relations and communications angle just isn’t working.

Nine steps to take now:

1. Stop Talking – I always advocate communicating over silence, as do the most crisis communication professionals. After seven weeks, all efforts should focus on action; the public’s appetite for communication is gone. At this point, the public is looking for heads to roll;

2. Restructure Leadership, Immediately — If the faces of the disaster don’t change, the reputational damage won’t change. Right now, the “faces” are damaged wildlife, angry elected officials, and current BP leadership. Commercials, apologies and new communication, at this moment in time, won’t change that – people have made up their minds; in order to get the public to even potentially buy into an message BP sends, it needs to appear that the culprits, real or imagined, have been replaced.

3. Major Relief Fund – directed by local officials – The locals are saying they can do it better – let them try. It will at least re-direct some of the attention – the best case scenario for BP right now.

4. Show some sacrifice – So far, the sacrifice that BP gets credit for are the comments from Mr. Hayward. Put A LOT of money into local nonprofits now. Reduce headcount and replace with affected locals. Invest in these communities for things having nothing to do with the environment.

5. Non Profit Support – When you input the term “BP charity” or “BP nonprofit” into Google News, very little comes up. Not good.

6. Retraining Stations - There are now entire industries that may no longer exist. Set up retraining stations to work in oil and gas exploration and give those displaced apprenticeships and permanent jobs; Start the retraining now

7. ASPCA/Etc. – Give EVERY major animal rights and environmental organization you can nonprofit funding, fly them down, and get them on the ground on your dime to help.

8. Fall on the Sword - Now is the time to direct any and all blame inward. Someone internally needs to comment on how BP handled this from the jump – taking the heat. Americans are very forgiving, but only if given the opportunity.

9. Fall on the Sword, Pt II – BP station owners, who have little or no affiliation with the parent company, are victims as well. Defend them. Something along the lines of:

“Any anger should be aimed squarely at us. Most BP stations are owned by small business owners, your neighbors, and hard working people who have NO HAND in anything the company has done. Your anger, deservedly, should be pointed at BP, and we understand protests of BP; please don’t misdirect anger at station owners who have no connection to BP or any responsibility for the disaster.”

Unfortunately, the only formula for BP in terms of repairing damage to the corporate name is time – commercials and appearances won’t work.

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7 Responses to “BP Crisis Communication, Pt II – 9 Steps”

By Jason Whitmen on Jun 8, 2010 | Reply

Hi. I read a few of your other posts and wanted to know if you would be interested in exchanging blogroll links?
By Joanne Brigandi on Jun 8, 2010 | Reply

Matt,you are right on point. I have to wonder whether BP has goofballs for PR staff or if upper management is just ignoring their counsel. What a shame that a major corporation doesn’t know how to handle a crisis from a PR perspective.