So which company's working hardest to let the public know they have "values"? Which one's trying their best to make sure we know that they care about the world? To find out who needs the best PR, all we have to do is see who's spewing the most bull:
Enter Brittish Patrolium, making sure that we the consumer know that they are the most morally upright, hippie loving, carbon emission killing company out there. They're willing to steak their reputation on that fact. At least, when they released this commercial in 2003 they were. They went as far as to be sure to include the fact that a carbon footprint is defined as "the effect that [our] living has on the earth in terms of the product [we] consume." (0:13). Then they go on to insinuate that by purchasing oil from their company you're reducing the damage that is done to the world. BP values the earth. Yey, earth! But what if something bad happens to it?
...Then they become the saviors of the Gulf of Mexico. Look at them, so humbled and accepting of responsibility of something that was obviously out of their hands. On top of that, they really, really want you to know that they're sorry and will right their accident. In fact, they're so appologetic for their little slip up that they don't mind paying for prime time advertising space just so you know it. Because they want you to know that you can have faith that they truly care about their impact on the world.
Let's face it, the more a company wants you to know that they're good the less they actually care about it. Making values public are just a way of increasing sales. It may be manipulative, but I honestly can't blame them: they're in the business of selling you a product and if tugging on your heartstrings will get you to buy one brand of toilet paper over another, then you'd damn well better believe that there's gonna be cute puppies in commercials for something you use to wipe your ass. That's just the marketing world, and if you want to survive in it you'll resort to the same tactics: empty promises and complete BS.
Below: vaguely related and made my day:
BP was a really interesting organization to focus on! The videos just made your post all the more meaningful.
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