BP Oil Spill: Failed Crisis Communication

This is not really a case study, but more a short describtion of a large accident, followed by a completely failed crisis communication. It proves that you have to be prepaired! Monitor your issues, make a crisis plan and stick to the basic rules of crisis management. These are factors which were obviously ignored by BP.

It seems unbelievable that a global player like BP acted in such a unprofessional way after the trigger event of the crisis. It still is the biggest oil spill in history, but BP tried to play things down. Obviously, they did not know how to react on such a tragedy. Referring to Coombs’ (1995) apporach, “appropriate” response strategies would have been rooted in apology and offered compensations. However, Tony Hayward, CEO of BP, chose to react in another way:

“Well, it wasn’t our accident, but we are absolutely responsible for the oil, for cleaning up.” (May 3, 2010)
“The Gulf of Mexico is a very big occean. The amount of volume of oil and dispersant we are putting into it is tiny in relation to the water volume.” (May 14, 2010)
“The environmental impact of this disaster is likely to have been very, very modest.” (May 18, 2010)
“I’m sorry – we’re sorry – for the massive disruption this has caused their lives. And there’s no one who wants this over more than I do. You know, I want my life back.” (May 30, 2010)

He stumbles from a partial denial to dilettante downplaying to emphasising his own suffering, while the explosion killed 11 people, injured 17 others and caused 16,000 total miles of oil-polluted coastline. Obviously, BP and Hayward as a spokesperson were overstrained with the massive public attention and reaction.

I found a video that satirically mirrors the process of BP’s failed crisis management. And please don’t get me wrong: I don’t want to joke about a disaster like the BP oil spill! But I guess it is allowed to portray BP’s decision makers as a group of clueless men in suits. Especially with British humour…