BP marque debate continues to blossom

In response to my sharp and abrupt dismissal of BP’s flower power, JE Mulverston (Letters, DW 1 September) is absolutely right to say big issues should be considered.

BP’s desperate desire to protect itself from environmental calumny should be the focus of carefully worded and sensitively targeted PR, lobbying and corporate advertising. In this context the phrase “beyond petroleum” is a splendid starting point for clear exposition of the good things BP do.

The big issues, then, are two-fold. First, at the strategic level, this line of thinking should never have been allowed to contaminate the logo. There are times when integrated is not the way to go.

Second, at the professional level, as Marcello Minale observed recently in the marketing press: “We all know selling good design is difficult, but selling bad design must be bloody difficult”. How could an outfit as mature as Landor Associates add to the difficulties the design industry has in being perceived as grown-up with this “GCSE Art” nonsense, to quote Minale again.

Time will tell, says Mr Mulverston. Indeed, time will tell BP it has relinquished an icon for a poorly intellectualised wimp. Or should I say once more, a pansy?

Rick Holmes

Strategic development director

Gin Rickey Consultants

London W1D

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