Apologetic ad campaign fails to placate an angry public

AN apologetic advertising campaign by BP for causing the biggest oil spill in US history has earned the company more criticism than sympathy as the pollution spreads across the US Gulf Coast from Louisiana into Alabama and Florida.

The new radio, TV, online and print adverts feature BP chief executive Tony Hayward pledging to fix the damage caused by the gush of crude oil unleashed by an April 20 drilling rig explosion that killed 11 people. He says the company will honour claims and “do everything we can so this never happens again”.

The adverts have been criticised by US President Barack Obama, who said the money should be spent on clean-up efforts and on compensating fishermen and small business owners who have lost their jobs because of the spill, and to help residents and visitors of the Gulf Coast, where some beaches have been blackened by the oil and others remain threatened.