Bp’s response to the environmental catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico has been woefully inadequate. Company suits say they are doing all they can do to contain the massive spill that resulted from cutting corners and gambling with the environment while lining their pockets. Unfortunately, all they can do is not nearly enough.
More than a month into this life-changing event for families along the gulf coast, one wonders what the true impact will be for not only residents of that area, but for consumers globally. Will this end with yet another bail-out using funds extracted from the pockets of the taxpaying public, or will the bp brand be allowed to sink to the depths of the problem it created on the floor of the Gulf?
The scope of the damage will likely not be known for decades as no one knows what the impact of this level of toxicity will have on the environment, marine life and the lifestyles of people in the region and beyond.
It is obvious that bp is in unchartered territory as they apply the try this, try that method of affixing a band-aid to a major gash. In the meantime, the Gulf of Mexico continues to bleed profusely in an event that may forever change the way of life for an entire region.
Fisheries, travel, restaurants, hotels, tourism and other industries of this region will all suffer tremendously, with many likely to fold their tents forever.
Will the bp brand survive this type of damage, will this turn out to be another “to big to fail” situation, much like what we recently witnessed with the Wall Streeters?
Or will they go under and escape the responsibility of attempting to make good on a portion of the damages caused by this tremendous disaster?
With huge corporations, it’s always about the bottom line.
So what do you think, will this brand go under, or live to pollute another day?
8 Responses to A Global Brand Takes a Dive
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" @Chris_Frailey No problem, Chris. Great weekend to you as well. :-) " — JimiJones
Jimi,
Good question! I think BP will not go under. They'll live to pollute another day. Big businesses like BP ain't going no where. They'll get a few fines slapped on them, but in the end they will still make money. The ones who suffer are the every day folk who's livelihood is gone.
Hi Evelyn.
Hard to say how this one will play out, but you may be right, unfortunately. If they don't get this thing shut down, they may have to go the bankruptcy route. Of course that will allow them to change names and logos, get a fresh start and worst of all, escape the financial responsibility of making things right, which cannot truly be put into dollars.
I'm a fisherman who loves the sport, often fishing down south, but I would be losing a hobby. You have to feel for those third and fourth generation waterman and their families. They're done in that region.
This leak is costing them 15 million dollars per day. They said that's fine. As they make much more than that per day.
Hey Gordie.
that 15 mill is a drop in the bucket, but when it comes time to make some restitution… they'll be singing another tune. The books still have black ink on them now, let's wait until those hundreds of billions in damages start to arrive in their offices.
Just shows you a good brand is much more than a nice logo. The change from the original shield to the sunflower/helios was meant to signal a more environmental focus. Oops. Looks like they forgot to apply that same reasoning to the rest of the company.
Bp had scaled back on some of those environmental initiatives after the U S economy went south. Even the TV ads had disappeared. This will be an interesting case study to watch in the coming year and beyond.
Won't even take that long…oh how people love to kick a brand that's down.
Flickr set of Greenpeace hijacking the BP logo: http://bit.ly/ds764L
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