International Marketing Study Program 2007
BP, London
16th January 2007
On January 16, 2007 we took a trip out to Sunbury in London to visit BP. To get to Sunbury, we caught a train for about one hour and then a bus for 10 minutes. Upon arrival, we were welcomed by David Henderson, the Refining and Marketing Communications Manager for BP and not to mention a Monash Graduate!
From the moment we arrived, we were made well aware of BP’s concern for occupational health and safety in the workplace for all staff and visitors. David began his presentation by explaining where the exits and evacuation points were. He went on to introduce his colleague, Wolfgang Stueckle, a Trade Control Analyst who began his career at BP through one of their graduate programs.
The presentation began with a video explaining the history of BP. This provided a deeper insight into the culture of BP as many employees were interviewed on their personal experiences with the company and brand. BP is one of the largest companies in the world, delivering heat, light and mobility to all parts of the globe. BP is very diverse in their employment and also their customers. It was most interesting how such a large oil company can also be so environmentally conscious. For instance, BP is pushing the market from oil to gas and also introducing alternative energy such as wind, solar and hydrogen.
David talked us through the objectives and purpose of the company and detailed the different business segments. Essentially, BP is divided into two sections; (1) Resource, which includes exploration and production; (2) Customer Facing which consists of gas, renewable, supply and trading, as well as refining and marketing. David explained the focus strategy in each of these business segments, as well as further insight into BP’s alternative energy efforts.
Unfortunately due to too much questioning from Monash students, there was not enough time for Wolfgang to share his experiences as a BP graduate! However, his views were extremely valuable during question and answer time and he was able to give us a unique perspective on the BP culture. David continued to highlight BP’s brand values and an explanation of the Helios (BP’s new logo). We learnt that the Helios represents radiance, dynamism, progress and energy. The colour green represents environmental responsibility, yellow is for the sun, the most powerful source of energy, and the interlocking parts of the helios itself reflects the many brands and cultures that BP is comprised of.
BP’s generosity to the group was made evident by the time they took to explain their brand and detail their marketing activities. Also, as the meeting ran through morning tea and lunch, BP provided an extensive assortment of finger food and refreshments - much to everyone’s delight!
Eva and Sarah
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