BP Reiterates Commitment to Be No. 1 East of the Rockies

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- BP remains committed to becoming the No. 1 fuels brand east of the Rockies. This week, at the biennial BP Amoco Marketers Association (BPAMA) Convention and Business Expo, the company unveiled its 2014 plans to get there.

High-quality fuel, clean and inviting retail sites, and innovative consumer loyalty programs are major elements of its plan, revealed during the three-day event themed "together we will grow."

"BP’s branded marketers are the ambassadors of the BP brand," said Corey Correnti, senior vice president of BP’s marketing sales and supply business. "We listened to their needs and worked collaboratively with the BPAMA. We are confident we have a winning brand proposition that will make BP the No. 1 brand across our footprint. We are committed to working with our branded marketers to grow this brand as measured by both market share and brand preference."

In order to increase consumer registration in the company’s signature loyalty program, BP Driver Rewards, BP said it will continue on-site activation and media campaigns, while improving the consumer experience. Since rolling out the program in April 2013, BP has invested more than $20 million in awareness and on-site campaigns, and rewarded consumers with millions of dollars of at-the-pump price rollbacks.

To date, BP has signed up more than 1 million members. These loyalty card holders visit BP sites twice as frequently as the average consumer and spend 20 percent more money on fuel. This year, BP intends to further enhance the personalization of its BP Driver Rewards communications to consumers.

The company also announced plans to build upon its reputation for fuel quality. BP joined the Top Tier program last year and during the BPAMA event, it briefed retailers on its plans to take quality even further with ongoing investments in new and improved BP fuels with Invigorate.

"Quality fuels are the cornerstone of the BP brand," said Amy Abraham, vice president of marketing and communications. "In 2014, you can expect us to continue with our differentiated fuels message of 'A Few More Miles.'"

BP will continue to promote the company’s competitive co-op program that reimburses retailers for 100 percent of site image-related expenses. In addition, BP has increased its number of field staff, also known as "market captains," to support the investment at BP stations and to train staff on the importance of getting the consumer’s experience with the BP brand right.

At a corporate level, BP has invested hundreds of millions of dollars over the past two years on advertising campaigns focused on the company’s commitment to the U.S. Retailers at this week's BPAMA event got a first look at BP’s new advertising supporting the U.S. Olympic Committee and Team USA, which will air during the Sochi 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

In February 2012, BP Products North America Inc. announced that it will make a $500-million investment in its U.S. retail brand over the next two years, with the goal being to reclaim the title as the No. 1 fuels marketer east of the Rockies. The foundation of its marketing plan was to be a distinctive fuel offer, improved customer experience and a more compelling loyalty rewards program.

Over the past five years, BP has invested more than $55 billion in the United States. BP is the nation’s second-largest producer of oil and gas and provides enough energy annually to light nearly the entire country for a year. Directly employing more than 20,000 people in all 50 states, the company supports more than 260,000 jobs in total through all of its business activities.