OPEC's Public Image Problem and PR Repair Strategy 2015
This paper analyzes the public image problem faced by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in 2015. It explores the circumstances that triggered the crisis, particularly the legal attacks that accompanied OPEC member countries' decision to increase oil production and maintain low prices rather than regulate supply. The paper examines how this situation damaged OPEC's reputation, strained relations with Asian consumers, and reduced organizational productivity. It then describes the public relations efforts OPEC undertook to repair its image, including launching social media accounts on Twitter and Facebook and adopting precise, consistent language to communicate its tactics and strategic objectives to stakeholders.
- Introduction: Corporate image defined and OPEC introduced
- Circumstances Behind OPEC's Image Problem: Legal attacks and oil production decisions trigger crisis
- Impact on the Organization and Its Stakeholders: Reputation damage, consumer skepticism, and lost productivity
- Strategy Used to Repair OPEC's Public Image: Social media launch and strategic messaging tactics
- Conclusion: Summary of crisis, cause, and PR resolution
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper follows a clear problem–impact–solution structure, making it easy to trace the lifecycle of a real corporate image crisis from cause to resolution.
- It grounds the analysis in a concrete, documented case drawn from internal OPEC reports cited in The Wall Street Journal, lending credibility to its claims.
- The discussion of stakeholder impact is organized into distinct effects (reputation, consumer relations, productivity), showing methodical analytical thinking.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates applied case analysis: a theoretical concept (corporate image and public relations) is introduced briefly, then immediately tested against a real-world organizational scenario. By identifying specific tactics — social media engagement and strategic messaging — the paper connects abstract PR theory to observable managerial decisions, a technique common in business and communications coursework.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with a brief conceptual introduction establishing the importance of corporate image. It then dedicates a section to the causes of the crisis, followed by a section on its organizational and stakeholder impacts. The repair strategy is covered in its own section, broken into two tactics. A short conclusion summarizes the argument. The structure is straightforward and thesis-driven, appropriate for an undergraduate communications or business essay.
Introduction
The productivity of an organization or business entity is determined and influenced by many factors, including its public image. Public or corporate image is one of the most important aspects of an organization's success and profitability. It focuses fundamentally on a firm's reputation — that is, how it is perceived by potential and existing customers. This image is typically shaped by how an organization carries out its activities and the quality of its products, services, or processes.
Given the competitive nature of the modern business environment, organizations constantly work toward developing and communicating a positive image to their various stakeholders. However, some organizations encounter challenges in this process and must rely on public relations initiatives to repair their image. A notable example is the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), which experienced a significant public image problem in 2015 and undertook a deliberate public relations effort to address it. This paper examines the circumstances that contributed to that problem, its impact on the organization and its stakeholders, and the strategies used to repair it.
References
Faucon, B. (2015, October 5). OPEC worried about its public image, internal report says. The Wall Street Journal.
The Moscow Journal. (2015, October 6). In OPEC reflected on image. The Moscow Journal.
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