Is Facebook an Effective Tool for Crisis Communication?: An Analysis of BP's Crisis Communication on Facebook After the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

• In Event: Social Media Communications in Critical Situations

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate the effects of Facebook in organizational crisis communication with a focus on the British Petroleum’s (BP) Deepwater Horizon oil spill crisis. Within the theoretical framework of the situational crisis communication theory (SCCT), this study employed content analysis to examine BP America’s crisis communication messages and Facebook users’ comments on BP America’s Facebook page. The results revealed that rebuilding strategies dominated BP’s crisis response, and Facebook users were more likely to comment favorably when BP used accommodative strategies. The results also suggest that bolstering strategies and third party endorsement may not demonstrate anticipated effectiveness. Theoretical and practical implications of this study were discussed.

Authors

• Lan Ye, State University of New York at Cortland

• Eyun-Jung Ki, The University of Alabama