The hot topic this month is the BP situation down in the gulf. Seems like everyone has forgotten about the devastation in Haiti, the flooding in the Midwest,  and the ever long war in Afghanistan. BP has done such a poor job of managing their reputation, that their biggest concern seems to be the slander filled comments of the “Fake BP” on Twitter. I must admit, they’re getting creative with their comments and helping us find humor in a terrible situation. Initially I viewed BP as the bad guy. Some foreign (British) company that was drilling off of our coast, destroying our environment, and critically damaging industries with significant economic impact in that region. Then I stopped to put gas in my car this morning and realized I was equally responsible for what took place. If not for the ever growing demands of the energy starved population in the U.S., maybe they wouldn’t have been permitted to drill so dangerously close to one of the most ecologically unique regions in the world. Currently, the masses are glued to CNN, FOX, and the other independent news outlets covering the story. Relying on the views of their editors to obtain their information and form their opinions.

Don’t you think BP would like to shut those outlets off and control the message being sent to the public? Well, no one can do that. However, they can take advantage of the billions of people utilizing social media to share their side of the story and more effectively manage their reputation at a time when they are getting more exposure than ever before.

Where will your social media following be when the oil drifts ashore in your business?
@AtomicMon