Oil companies tout good-citizen image in advertising blitz.Oil companies tout Tout To promote a security in order to attract buyers. tout To foster interest in a particular company or security. For example, a broker might tout a security to a client in the hope that the client will purchase the security. good-citizen image in advertising blitz Oil companies are pouring millions into image-building media campaigns aimed at both enhancing their reputations as environmentally minded corporations, and fetching fetch·ing adj. Very attractive; charming: a fetching new hairstyle. fetch  ing·ly adv. larger chunks of the state's $10 billion worth of annual gasoline sales. The new strategy is proving to be a boon for the advertising industry, which has otherwise been running dry. "It's not been the best of years and certainly the oil industry has been a breath of fresh air," said Roger Pike, automotive advertising manager for the Los Angeles Times Los Angeles Times Morning daily newspaper. Established in 1881, it was purchased and incorporated in 1884 by Harrison Gray Otis (1837–1917) under The Times-Mirror Co. (the hyphen was later dropped from the name). . Until 1989, Atlantic Richfield Co. had no budget for gasoline advertising, but has since spent $18 million promoting EC-1 Regular and EC-Premium. In September Arco has bought 774 inches of ads in the Times, Pike said. "They want to be perceived as problem solvers instead of problem makers when it comes to environmental concerns," said Kenneth Funsten, managing director of Beverly Hills-based Financial Management Advisors The Financial Management Advisor (FMA) is a "made in Canada" professional designation of the Canadian Securities Institute (CSI), the official educator of the Canadian securities industry. . "Nobody wants the negative publicity Exxon has gotten." Arco beat its competitors to the punch by introducing EC-1. Now other companies have to follow suit, Funsten added. Southland south·land or South·land n. A region in the south of a country or an area. south land·er n.Noun 1. gasoline companies are competing for big money. In 1988, Californians consumed 12.9 billion gallons of gas, with unleaded selling for an average of 91 cents a gallon. Arco, Shell Oil Co., Exxon Corp. and Chevron Corp. all introduced reformulated gasolines this year, each promoted with a different twist. Chevron's gas helps motorists start their engines easily on cold days, while Shell's "is the only national environmentally enhanced gasoline available in 10 major metropolitan areas," according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Shell spokesman H.R. Hutchins. But Arco had the most at stake. Until 1989, leaded gas comprised about 18 percent of its gas sales, and Arco was taking a chance that EC-1 Regular would work in older cars, Funsten said. "If they hadn't handled the public relations public relations, activities and policies used to create public interest in a person, idea, product, institution, or business establishment. By its nature, public relations is devoted to serving particular interests by presenting them to the public in the most right, they would have blown a hole in their overall gasoline revenues." Arco is trying to handle its publicity of EC-Premium just as well. About 10 camera crews and 20 journalists attended a recent press conference announcing the introduction of the new fuel. In all, Arco is spending $10 million on a television, radio and newspaper advertising campaign to promote the fuel. Funsten noted that gasoline companies are also anxious to introduce cleaner fuels to fend off Verb 1. fend off - prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening; "Let's avoid a confrontation"; "head off a confrontation"; "avert a strike" deflect, forefend, forfend, head off, avert, stave off, ward off, avoid, debar, obviate government regulations. He said oil companies are opposed to government regulations because they would prevent companies from making their own scientific discoveries and finding the most economical ways to producing gasoline. "Nobody wants to see it. This is why oil companies jumped the gun," Funsten said. Oil companies are not only marketing clean gasolines but other new programs as well. Unocal, for instance, is spending more than $10 million on a pro-environment campaign that promotes an auto recycling program, a free smog check service and a roadside assistance program. The Los Angeles-based company launched an all-out advertising campaign in Southland newspapers to promote its buyback of pre-1971 cars. Full-page ads headed with "For a Cleaner Environment" appeared in nearly a dozen regional papers, including the Los Angeles Times, Daily News and Orange County Register, according to Ted Sede, advertising manager for Unocal. Smog check services are another fad. Mechanics who perform smog checks at Arco stations are called SmogPros. SmogPros offer a "pass or don't pay" policy. And Unocal's Smog Fighters offer free smog checks and emission adjustments to pre-1975 cars. "We'll give you a smog check and make adjustments in an effort to improve air quality," Teden said. Unocal is also using the print media to advertise Smog Fighters, giving readers an 800 number to call for more information. The ads have generated more than 10,000 calls since they began appearing July 2. The automobile buy-back and Smog Fighter programs are the first pro-environment programs Unocal has launched. In addition, Unocal spent more than $300,000 during the second quarter of the year advertising on radio, compared to spending only about $75,000 during the first quarter, according to George Nadel Rivin, a spokesman for Miller, Kaplan, Arase & Co. based in North Hollywood. Oil and gas companies spent $2.64 million on radio advertising in Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, during the second quarter of this year, he added. Both Shell and Chevron are circulating pamphlets telling drivers how to operate their cars in an environmentally responsible way. Shell has inserted 40 million "Answer Man" booklets into magazines like "Reader's Digest Reader's Digest U.S.-based monthly magazine. Founded by DeWitt and Lila Wallace, it was first published in 1922 as a digest of articles of topical interest and entertainment value condensed from other periodicals. " and "National Geographic." Chevron, for its part, is giving away brochures at its service stations called "12 Gas Saving Tips to Point You in the Right Direction." The pamphlet pamphlet, short unbound or paper-bound book of from 64 to 96 pages. The pamphlet gained popularity as an instrument of religious or political controversy, giving the author and reader full benefit of freedom of the press. tells customers to clean their spark plugs spark plug: see ignition. spark plug Device that fits into the cylinder head of an internal-combustion engine and carries two electrodes separated by an air gap, across which current from a high-tension ignition system discharges, creating a spark and carpool car·pool n. also car pool 1. An arrangement whereby several participants or their children travel together in one vehicle, the participants sharing the costs and often taking turns as the driver. 2. , among other things. |
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