[PeakingAroundtheCorner]

I've been noticing more teevee commercials playing on CNN from Chevron and BP lately that have a decidedly bad marketing message, according to the basic rules of business and marketing.

One basic rule of business is that you stick to what you know. You specialize in one service or product that you become identified with. In this case, Big Oil companies are, well, OIL companies. Unless something fundamental about your business has changed so that it is no longer profitable. And what does a business do that can no longer profit from the product it is famous for? You find another product or you fade into history.

Which brings me to the purpose of this post, an observation of the effort by two major OIL companies attemps to change their image and their product. The question is...why?

The first is Chevron. Here is the commercial:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OREHrtVClTc

This commercial lays it all out on the line. But what lies between the lines of this ad? Why would an oil company, an industry with plenty of it's own infrastructure requirements, implore you and me that they are becoming an alternative energy company?

From the comments at YouTube StevieRudes says:
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'C')orporate propaganda. Talk about a P.R. move. Cheveron is painting themselves as saviors of this polluted world. Humanity's chance of survival is in question due to your product, and now your company is coming to the rescue. What arrogance.

[Kylon]

More deception/BS.

What they are trying to do is say "we advocate for alternative energy, and we're going to become an alternative energy company". That's what they are trying to make you believe.

Because once TSHF, and oil isn't as profitable, people may withdraw money from those companies, as they see them longer capable of growing.

If the stock goes down, the stock holders don't get their quick return on investment.

If the stock holders don't get their quick return on their investment, they get mad at whoever is in charge(CEO, board of directors, ect...).

So, in order to protect the image that they have the possibility of future growth, and thus are a good company to invest in, and thus keeping the stock up higher, and thus not pissing off the stock holders and getting themselves fired, they have to put out these kinds of messages.

This is my take on the whole situation.