Beyond Apologies: Mapping the Strategic Shifts in BP’s Leadership Rhetoric from Crisis to Recovery

Xiaolan Zheng

doi:10.54097/qqkqd142

Authors

Xiaolan Zheng

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54097/qqkqd142

Keywords:

Deepwater Horizon, BP, Crisis Communication, Rhetorical Analysis, Trust Restoration

Abstract

The 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill precipitated one of the most severe environmental and reputational crises in corporate history. BP’s initial crisis‑phase communications under CEO Tony Hayward were marked by denial, minimization, and ill‑timed personal remarks, which exacerbated public outrage. Following Hayward’s replacement by Bob Dudley, BP’s leadership rhetoric shifted toward mortification, corrective action, and bolstering, coupled with concrete safety reforms and compensation commitments. Drawing on Situational Crisis Communication Theory and image‑repair frameworks, this study conducts a rhetorical analysis of English‑language speeches, press releases, CSR reports, and interviews from April 2010 through late 2011. Findings reveal a clear transition from defensive tactics (denial, evasion) to restorative strategies (apology, accountability, reform) that gradually stabilized BP’s public image. The study contributes to crisis communication scholarship by mapping how leadership rhetoric evolves to rebuild trust and legitimacy following a major corporate transgression.

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