BP Tripled Advertising Spending in Weeks Following Oil Spill

BP (BP) spent more than $93 million on newspaper and TV advertising in the weeks following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, more than three times the amount it spent in the same period a year ago.

BP ran ads in newspapers in 17 states, compared with just two states in 2009, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing information from U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee.

The company emphasized that its primary goal was to inform the public about the claims process to receive compensation for damage caused by the disaster.

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"Our objective has been to create informational advertising to assure people that we will meet our commitments and tell them how they can get help-especially claims," said BP spokesman Scott Dean. "It is an important tool to help us be transparent about what we are doing."

Still, some lawmakers, including Florida Democrat Kathy Castor, expressed concern that BP was simply trying to improve its brand in the wake of the disaster.

"She has been concerned by all the advertising showing BP polishing its corporate image," a spokeswoman for Castor said.