Comparing BP and Exxon

   Department chair Ron Smith has given several news interviews comparing the public relations implications of the BP oil leaks in the Gulf of Mexico with the oil spill from the Exxon Valdez in Alaska's Prince William Sound. Ron has previously written about Exxon's poor public relations approach.
  Addressing BP's reputation as an environmentally-responsible company, Ron told CNN Money that branding is all about expectation. "The more you posture yourself as a good corporate citizen, the more people expect from you." He told the reporter that a company such as BP should have had a disaster plan in place. "What we don't accept is 'Whoops! I never thought that could happen.'" See "Three Lessons for BP from the Exxon Valdez Spill"
   Ron also was interviewed for Revista Latitudes, an online publication based in Puerto Rico. He compared the public relations response of BP and Exxon, noting that "BP has been visible and is seen as part of the response, rather than merely the cause of the problem." See "Exxon v. BP's Crude Oil Reality"
   Additionally, Ron has been interviewed by the Associated Press in London and by the German publication PR Magazin. In both interviews, he spoke about corporate performance as the basis for good public relations. He noted that, in a crisis situation, the key objective is to maintain the organization's long-term reputation by acting responsibly and effectively.