Provided that it results in the company behind

Profits, polluter, "Erika." Take the test yourself... These are the words most often return when asked his entourage to associate three words to Total. The two that follow are AZF and Burma. The experience is not scientific. It reveals and merely confirms the hateful picture returned in France, by the oil group. Ten years after the sinking of the "Erika", Total continues to pay the original fault at the price high. And prepares still difficult weeks, while opens in Paris the trial on appeal of the disaster. The point of organ of a trying year for the nerves and the reputation of the Habs tanker, between the AZF trial, a handful of industrial accidents, a thrust of Burmese fièvre, a contest over its profits (13.9 billion euros for 2008), another on the restructuring announced in refining and petrochemicals (with the key more than 550 posts deleted)... This much for a single company. And not surprisingly not that Total will be slaughtered in all the publique opinion surveys.

In recent years, the leadership of the Group command regularly to Sofres of quality studies to take the pulse of the French population. In early 2009, miracle: after a period of relative calm on the media front, mid-January survey showed that a small majority of French (53) had instead a good opinion on Total. The relief will be short-lived. In the following month, in the wake of the financial results and the AZF trial, this percentage fell to 36. 53 of respondents declare then a bad picture of Total. The breakdown will culminate in March (60 of negative views), in full discussion on the deletions of posts. A little later, the oil group will appear only as the 66th Global Reputation Index, top favorite companies of the French, established by BVA. But good and 100th last on the sole criterion of the image...

"Erika" or the original fault

At this level of rejection, hypnotizes regularly applied internally no longer enough. It is understood: the Total reputation is much better overseas, excellent financial markets; the French are incorrigible râleurs, for which economic performance mean nothing, and knowing the oil world; Finally, whatever we say, the image issues have never prevented motorists to refuel stations House... "But this kind of discourse fatalistic is but a guise, it annoys a Communicator." It serves only to hide a great distress, a form of cessation. "The novelty is that, the group is finally aware of the problem. And decided to address. Last week, the topic was included in the agenda of the Executive Committee, which dealt with the new communication strategy to be implemented. For the Director General, Christophe de Margerie, Total image must indeed become "one of the significant axes of the group."A posture that marks a clear break with the past.

For many, the roots of evil back obviously to the "Erika", and the ten days following the sinking more exactly. Ten days, it's time that the company and its CEO at the time, Thierry Desmarest, to take the extent of the disaster and to react. "At the same time, EDF teams occupied the media field and is mobilized day and night to repair the grid devastated by the storm of 1999, remembers a head of the group." We, we were still to ask on the content of the first release. The mass was said. "And the deeply dug gap with the French. Ten years after, the company did not meet the, "because public opinion is still waiting for a strong Act, decrypts a consultant." To Total, there is no indulgence, because the Group expressed no regret, no apology, no explanation...

An analysis shared by many scholars of crisis communication: "people recognize the possibility of fault, says one of them, provided that it draws from lessons learned and on respecte these three basic rules: compassion, transparency, action.". At the time of the "Erika", Total had all false from this point of view here. Wrongly or rightly, the French saw scorn. He still pays...

The contempt. Still a word that is often about Total. A Communicator who knows well the House prefers to speak of an "almost génétique" indifference to anything in the communication. "The oil sector built on power and reports, recalls it." By nature, it is not very sensitive to its image, that symbolizes well enough a group such as Exxon, with his steamroller. "Add to that the predominance of engineers more or less formatted, accustomed always to work in rigorous and that you'll never understand the irrationality of public opinion, of a runaway médiatique... The result is a dialogue of the deaf which has gone on too long.

But how to reassemble the slope How to reweave the semblance of relationship with the French population "Total has now the chance to have headed a fabulous man of dialogue, note a familiar of the group." In terms of communication, can even say that it has several lengths ahead of the rest of the box. It is therefore the man for the job. Provided that it results in the company behind...

Sincerity and truth

A condition, above all, "to avoid the chosen", prevents a Communicator: "A largely symbolic or a change of language, is good, but Total first must strive to eliminate the industrial chance, which is not tolerable for the first company of France.". There is too much intelligence, R & D too in this House, to allow industrial accidents as inevitable. "In the future, all those who are interested in this Invitational to image say: Total will make much more effort for safety, as the environmental plan, and develop an even more rigorous code of ethics, to finally free of hazards.

The real work of reconquest, he requires the skill and patience: "Total must set realistic goals, strive to become one business like any other." "Inflection can be that smooth, with consistency, by choosing one or two lines of force, not more," advises Gaël Sliman, Deputy Director General of BVA. In this case, the survey conducted last spring by this Institute had pointed to two handicaps to overcome: in the first place, "the credibility of the company, its ability to be honest and tell the truth", and his "involvement in the social and sustainable development".You touch there two powerful levers, to evolve the way Total is perceived by the public.

"The battle of the French opinion can be won," wants to believe a close to the group. Total is no longer only a tanker, need to know. The evolution of trades is a factor of evolution of the image itself, out of the mythology of oil and its attendant negative images. "In other words, the company must now have a permanent on the societal, environmental discourse, assuming its core business, illuminating the crossing the benefit that removes the community:" one way or another, summarizes an expert of the com, it is to substitute in the mind the amount of investments made each year to the mythical profits figure. " "But attention: behind this new discourse, Total has a duty to evidence. And "the bar is high, prevents Muriel Humbertjean, Deputy General Manager of TNS Sofres, because, to mark the spirits, the promise must be proportional to its size..."

All these tips, some continue to sweep them away a setback of hand in Total. But they are fewer in numbers. At the highest level of the company, even if they say not publicly, good resources of executives want to reconcile the group with the French. Christophe de Margerie, he knows that it plays very large on this topic, but can no longer back. "The image, says, is a heavy and long term, as an oil investment investment." It won't be easy. It is not won, but I am convinced that we can do. Less than five to six years to acknowledge that the choses have changed and I hope that it will accept. I did not say love...