A "boycott BP" movement in social media is getting stronger when the Gulf of Mexico 2010 oil spill continues. Some are even trying to hurt BP's reputation with a fake Twitter account. Selling like crazy are BP oil like parody products like t-shirts. But despite the fact that BP is living a public relations nightmare, analysts say the giant oil company will see little effect on its profits.
Article Resource: BP Facebook boycott and BP Twitter – PR setback won’t hurt profits By Personal Money Store
Social media hit by BP boycott
BP boycott organizers are saying that purchasing gas from other brands would hit the oil business where it hurts, short of the expense incurred dealing with the disaster. Public Citizen had collected more than 11,000 signatures Wednesday after launching a BP Boycott Pledge on its site. A Facebook boycott group called Boycott BP with more than 75,000 members implores consumers to take their no fax cash advance elsewhere to purchase gas. Of course some may just get it because it is convenient. Also, the Facebook boycott isn't making any difference. The Washington Post surveyed customers at BP gas stations across Washington. Many drivers said it was pointless to complicate the convenience of filling a gas tank with political or moral questions.
BP Twitter account is rogue
The BP Facebook boycott may not be as effective in killing BPs reputation as the bogus BP Twitter account @BPGlobalPR. The Los Angeles Times reports the fake BP Twitter page had around 42,000 followers on Wednesday. BP’s real Twitter account, @BP_America, only has 5,700. The bogus BP Twitter account has raised a lot more than $3,000 for the nonprofit Gulf Restoration Network through the sale of $25 BP T-shirts. Incorporated on the Twitter page are fan favorites such as:
Catastrophe is a strong word, let’s all agree to call it a whoopsie daisy. The good news – Mermaids are real. The bad news: They are now extinct. I’m sorry, are people mad at us for drilling in the ocean?!? Maybe God shouldn’t have put oil there in the first place. DUH.
BP gas station owners take the real hit
All of this is likely to affect the gas station owners instead of the global petroleum behemoth. CNNMoney.com reports that BP does not own the 11,500 gas stations that carry its logo. Independent franchises own the BP gas stations. Last year nearly 42 million gallons of gas per day were pumped by these gas stations. An oil company executive explained to CNN that BP, one of the largest oil trading companies in the global market, can sell petroleum products wherever it needs to. Americans not purchasing BP gas will mean somebody else will. CNN was told by BP that there has been no effect from the boycott efforts.
Find more data on this topic
The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/25/AR2010052501765.html
Los Angeles Times reports
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2010/05/bpglobalpr.html
CNNMoney.com reports
http://money.cnn.com/2010/05/26/news/companies/boycott_BP/?npt=NP1
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