First they ask "Why?" (attempt to engage in two way communication)
Then they get angry. (frustration develops over poor communication)
Then, they throw cabbage at you and mock your existence in a show of their disgust. (the end of two-way communication).
This is the general reaction of the mob. When you get to the mocking phase you're generally cooked as far as public opinion goes. It means that no one takes anything you say seriously anymore. You're ability to communicate anything is gone.... because no matter what you say, you will simply be mocked. This is the mobs way of taking away all your power and leaving you impotent.
Welcome to the phase BP has just entered. The following parody of BP has over 4 million hits on YouTube and has branded BP as utterly incompetent.
With BP entering this phase of public opinion, I think I'll stop commenting on this (natural and PR) disaster at this point. From a communications perspective there's really nothing left to salvage at this point. BP will become the face of incompetence in the public's mind. Their only hope now is to fire their CEO and top management and to throw themselves on the mercy of the court (ie. government(s)) - and hope that in five years from now (if they exist) they are in a position to re-brand the company.
Today they conceded to Obama's $20B escrow account.
If there's one thing we can take away from BP is the impact of social media. Outlets like YouTube let common folks rage and mock companies... which fuels further rage and mockery among the populous. Essentially, you can't contain a crisis anymore through traditional media channels. You get one shot at doing so at the very onset of a crisis... but if you mess that up the messages surrounding the crisis move out in to social media outlets and that's a wrap.
Here are some other examples of videos on YouTube that cumulatively (in my opinion) will ultimately destroy BP's current brand. Unlike traditional media where something airs and then goes away... once something is on YouTube, it will still be there in five years.
Then they get angry. (frustration develops over poor communication)
Then, they throw cabbage at you and mock your existence in a show of their disgust. (the end of two-way communication).
This is the general reaction of the mob. When you get to the mocking phase you're generally cooked as far as public opinion goes. It means that no one takes anything you say seriously anymore. You're ability to communicate anything is gone.... because no matter what you say, you will simply be mocked. This is the mobs way of taking away all your power and leaving you impotent.
Welcome to the phase BP has just entered. The following parody of BP has over 4 million hits on YouTube and has branded BP as utterly incompetent.
With BP entering this phase of public opinion, I think I'll stop commenting on this (natural and PR) disaster at this point. From a communications perspective there's really nothing left to salvage at this point. BP will become the face of incompetence in the public's mind. Their only hope now is to fire their CEO and top management and to throw themselves on the mercy of the court (ie. government(s)) - and hope that in five years from now (if they exist) they are in a position to re-brand the company.
Today they conceded to Obama's $20B escrow account.
If there's one thing we can take away from BP is the impact of social media. Outlets like YouTube let common folks rage and mock companies... which fuels further rage and mockery among the populous. Essentially, you can't contain a crisis anymore through traditional media channels. You get one shot at doing so at the very onset of a crisis... but if you mess that up the messages surrounding the crisis move out in to social media outlets and that's a wrap.
Here are some other examples of videos on YouTube that cumulatively (in my opinion) will ultimately destroy BP's current brand. Unlike traditional media where something airs and then goes away... once something is on YouTube, it will still be there in five years.
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