BP CEO Tony Hayward New Oil Disaster Ad: Sincere Or Damage Control?

BP has just released a new ad featuring its gaffe-producing CEO Tony Hayward apologizing for the spill and touting the company's efforts to clean it up and make it right. This ad comes just after the latest insensitive remark from Hayward in which he said that "I want my life back." He later apologized for the comment, acknowledging that 11 people who died in the Deepwater Horizon explosion and the countless of Gulf residents' lives who have been affected by the spill.

This ad also comes at a time when BP's stock price has taken huge hits, its reputation could be irreparably damaged and there is increasing pressure on Hayward to resign.

Quick Poll

What do you think of BP's ad?

It seems sincere. At least they are trying to make things right.

Another phony attempt by BP to improve their image.

Share your vote on Facebook so your friends can take this poll

[H/T The Wonkroom]

Comments

[cmb53208]

09:03 PM on 06/05/2010

At this point, I frankly don't care if Hayward is sincere or not: while he "wants his life back," perhaps he should get in line behind the 11 people who lost their lives on that rig, and the residents of the Gulf Coast who can kiss their livliehoods goodbye thanks to the negligence of his company. I'm sure those people too, would like their lives back. Mitigating the losses suffered by the people who are victims of BP's negligence are far more important to me than Hayward's feelings.

[Anbreen]

03:41 PM on 06/22/2010

I won't believe in his sincerity until he drinks a gallon of the stuff.

[tjconkster]

08:52 PM on 06/05/2010

Words are cheap...this is the same guy who wants his life back..but doesn't seem to care about the 11 who died and will NEVER get their lives back..

[kinnycut]

01:53 PM on 06/05/2010

The chance of BP doing the right thing about this mess they caused is about the same odds as one finding beach front property on the Gulf Coast without oil on it. This is window dressing created by their marketing department for the sole purpose of rebuilding their corporate image.

[ginxy]

12:35 PM on 06/05/2010

Never forget. BP is a for-profit corporation. Their ultimate objective is the most money possible.

[ed1946]

09:04 PM on 06/04/2010

This hasn't seemed to have gotten much circulation , Seems that a crew from Schlumberger, on contract to BP, hightailed it off the platform at their own expense 6 hours before the blowout because BP refused their recommendation to shut down the well. This lends more credence to Thom's suggestion that corners were cut because the bigwigs were coming for a visit.
"BP contracted Schlumberger (SLB) to run the Cement Bond Log (CBL) test that was the final test on the plug that was skipped.
SLB is an extremely highly regarded (and incredibly expensive) service company. They place a high standard on safety and train their workers to shut down unsafe operations.
SLB gets out to the Deepwater Horizon to run the CBL, and they find the well still
kicking heavily, which it should not be that late in the operation. SLB orders the
"company man" (BP's man on the scene that runs the operation) to dump kill fluid down the well and shut-in the well. The company man refuses. SLB in the very next sentence asks for a helo to take all SLB personnel back to shore. The company man says there are no more helo's scheduled for the rest of the week (translation: you're here to do a job, now do it). SLB gets on the horn to shore, calls SLB's corporate HQ, and gets a helo flown out there at SLB's expense and takes all SLB personnel to shore.
6 hours later, the platform explodes."

[tjconkster]

08:51 PM on 06/05/2010

I've heard/read about this as well...and it hasn't received allot of press..it would be interesting to see the SLB documentation on this, because you know they've written detailed reports...cya...

[AnnT]

04:34 PM on 06/12/2010

The real question is where, or who, in BP did the order to REMOVE THE PROTECTIVE MUD LAYER come from? Of course, the BP company man/men (Donald Vidrine, or Robert Kaluza) relayed the order -- and happened to be no-shows at "key" hearings. I read that the order came from a call from BP in Houston.

[mamacat]

06:24 PM on 06/04/2010

At least he is saying the right things. Time will tell if BP does the right things.

[IMSickOfAllOfEm]

11:08 PM on 06/04/2010

If they aren't doing them now, they sure as he// won't be doing them later.

[Punisher703]

01:14 PM on 06/04/2010

The notion that BP can 'clean this up' and 'make things right' is arrogant, nonsensical, CEO-speak. Tiny Tony's company has damaged the gulf irreparably. It's not like cleaning up your olympic-sized backyard pool, Tony. There are ecosystems there that have developed over millions of years. Their collapse will have a ripple effect beyond just the gulf region itself. Not to mention you're head of an oil company, not an environmental cleanup company. You might have the financial resources to fund a cleanup, but it's pretty evident your company lacks the expertise.

And really, there is absolutely no motive for BP to clean up the gulf. Once it's entirely dead, there is nothing to protect, and drilling can commence unabated. The US government will cave to them because there will be no other tourism or fishing jobs in the region.

They're just trying to win the PR battle. I don't see how they can in the age of the internet. The whole world can see when you're lying.

[Left on Red]

11:20 AM on 06/04/2010

Is the $50 million ad campaign just a downpayment to the ad agencies and the media for all the future wonderful news coverage that BP is to get.

Have they bought the justice system, and are now looking to get the media (and then the people) behind their efforts.

I for one am not buying into the crap they are selling.

The only publicity I want to see is some corporate executives doing a perp walk in front of an angry federal judge (not one appointed by Bush, or anyone related to Bush)

That's my kind of publicity.

[GayGrandpa]

10:41 AM on 06/04/2010

Announce you are changing course and are going to stop drilling off shore...then maybe I might have a little faith. Announce that you are going to put all efforts in alternative energy...that too would help...but to say your sorry after the worst disaster in mankind's history...well - it is a little weak.

[banker67]

10:39 AM on 06/04/2010

His own policy of defying, evading and ignoring countless safety rules, regulations and laws is THE reason for this disaster. He could not have attained his position, and certainly could not have stayed on as CEO, unless he -- with the full approval and knowledge of his entire board of directors -- championed BP's thoroughly documented practices.
And obviously, thousands of BP executives and line workers also aided and abetted the company's decades-old policy of reckless disregard for human and environmental safety.
Now this nimrod has the nerve to tell the millions of people he ruined that he's a great guy and is ever-so- sorry for his lifetime of greed, ambition and casual, indiscriminate cruelty.
Swell.

[suzc]

09:32 AM on 06/04/2010

On second thought.... Tony Hayward is the PERFECT point man, spokesperson, representative, for BP! Think about it. He's PERFECT!

[gypsylcd]

09:26 AM on 06/04/2010

Oh, Tony. Here in the US we have an old saying about locking the barn door after the horse is out. Maybe one of your American lobbyist consultants could explain to you how this works. You should ask.

[suzc]

09:26 AM on 06/04/2010

Tony Hayward should be boiled in his damn oil, after being wrapped in his damn newspaper ads!

Ok. Maybe not really. Maybe. But he should certainly lose his $4Mil a year salary and be banned from ever working again! We need a good scapegoat! On the other hand, maybe not. As long as he is out there like fingers on a chalk board maybe we will keep paying attention to the ghastly disaster his and others incompetence and uncaring arrogance have produced.

[ScapeGoat]

08:44 AM on 06/04/2010

“the gulf spill is a tragedy that never should have happened." But, we are BP, and we refused to spend the $500,00 for a proper shut off valve which would have prevented this and refused to follow proper procedure thus ki!!ing 11 people. I want you to know that we lied about how much oil has been spilled and will continue to do so. We were totally unprepared even though we lied and said we were. BP believes that the cap on liabilities made it unnecessary to be prepared. We want to remind all our workers that we will continue to ignore safety issues and do what is appropriate for our bottom line; even if that means people d!e and the Gulf does too.

Remember to keep buying BP products to show your support for the wonderful job we are doing.”

[plzchuteme]

07:23 AM on 06/04/2010

Way too little, and way, way, way, too late. We already know who you are and what you are, and phony earnestness in shirt sleeves and an open collar will not change a thing.