Fake BP Twitter account raises Reputation Management issue
While BP is preparing a top kill procedure to stop the Gulf oil spill, corporate public relations efforts are apparently committed to publishing daily updates on the official Oil Spill Response page, but seem unaware of the fake Twitter @BPGlobalPR account and its funny tweets entertaining more than 50k followers.
Social media monitoring is clearly not part of BP’s crisis management plan, but inconsistent corporate identity and branding online make brandjackers’ work easier: Olivier Blanchard on The BrandBuilder Blog shows how the fake Twitter account’s design conveys more authenticity than the real one by using the corporate logo.
BPGlobalPR follower viral growth started with a debut Twitter status that seemed official, but right after the second update, the mocking intent behind the “BP Public Relations” tweets became obvious. The corporate logo now sports a total black design (oil spill included) that reminds of the Nestlé Killer logos that originated a far worse reputation management issue for the Swiss corporation on Facebook.
The usage of the #bpcares hashtag just pours salt on BP’s wound.
From Facebook Palm Oil to Twitter Oil Spill
Online reputation management issues are not what BP needed right now. Social media channels like Facebook and Twitter can’t be ignored in 2010, but some large corporations seem to adapt at a slower pace to technology and communication changes: Nestlè’s palm oil PR mess showed how community management skills are key in corporate public relations; BP’s lack of social media monitoring is just another example of the importance of coordinated brand management, especially in times of crisis.
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