In a strange story covered by the Washington Post, BP was discovered to have posted a Photoshopped image of their supposed Oil Crisis Command Centre on the main BP website.
The original image posted by BP, which has now been removed, looks legit at first glance. But after further examination, a very poor paste job had been created. View the original here.
The Controversy Unfolds
Scott Dean, a spokesman for BP, said that there was nothing sinister in the photo alteration and provided the original unaltered version. He explained that a photographer working for the company had inserted the three images in spots where the video screens were blank. According to Dean, the intention was not to deceive but to make the image more visually appealing.
However, this explanation did little to quell the public’s skepticism. Many questioned why BP felt the need to alter the photo in the first place. The incident raised concerns about the company’s transparency, especially during a crisis of such magnitude. Critics argued that if BP was willing to manipulate images, what else might they be hiding?
The Bigger Picture
The incident occurred during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010, one of the worst environmental disasters in history. BP was already under intense scrutiny for its handling of the spill, which released millions of barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. The Photoshopped image added fuel to the fire, leading to further criticism of BP’s crisis management strategies.
In the age of digital media, the manipulation of images is not uncommon. However, when it comes to corporate communications, especially during a crisis, authenticity is crucial. Companies are expected to provide accurate and truthful information to the public. Any deviation from this can lead to a loss of trust and credibility.
The BP incident serves as a cautionary tale for other corporations. It highlights the importance of transparency and honesty in corporate communications. In today’s world, where information can be easily verified and shared, any attempt to deceive the public is likely to be exposed.
Why did they need to take a fake photo at all? Don’t they have a real crisis response center they could have used and saved the photographer some time and also BP the embarrassment of this? This question remains unanswered, but it underscores the importance of using genuine images, especially in official communications.
Moreover, the incident also sparked discussions about the ethical implications of photo manipulation. While altering images for artistic purposes is generally accepted, doing so in a way that misleads the public is considered unethical. This is particularly true for corporations, which have a responsibility to maintain transparency and integrity in their communications.
Via America Blog Via The Washington Post
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