According to Brandweek, Citgo, a subsidiary of Venezuela’s government-owned oil company, is developing ads that seek to convey its American allegiance, and its “American community” of more than 100,000 workers,
Citgo is preparing a new, multiplatform campaign breaking this month that will aim “to set the record straight” as the company reels from calls for boycotts in the wake of vociferous anti-American comments from Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.
“Our marketers and retailers will receive a communications campaign explaining how Citgo is working hard to set the record straight and inform the public of the real facts about the Citgo brand,” Jennifer Moos, Citgo’s general manager of brand development said.
In a press release, Citgo called the boycott cries, “counter to the principles of a free-market economy, so cherished by all Americans” and “being pushed in search of political or economic gain.”
Here’s my advise: don’t buy oil from firms that drill for it in the Middle East. Venezuela is not in the Middle East; ergo, their petrol is okay. If you truly have a problem with Chavez, then pull into a Conoco, Sunoco, Sinclair, Hess, Arco or BP station—none of these firms import oil from the Middle East. On the other hand, Shell, Chevron/Texaco, Exxon/Mobil, Marathon and Amoco do.