Marketplace Advocacy Campaigns: Generating Public Support for Bus ...

balance of payments. Imported oil pays no taxes to support our local schools or build our roads.” The body of the print ad reads:

According to information on the foundation’s Web site, campaign efforts to influence public opinion toward the industry have been successful. In pre- and postcampaign research, the campaign has been found to improve the public’s image of the oil and gas industry, including perceptions of the industry’s concern for the environment and related matters (Foundation for Energy Education, 2009). In an article from Basin Oil & Gas Magazine’s online archives, Foundation for Energy Education Vice President for Professional Development Kurt Abraham explained that within the Panhandle region, responses to the question “Is your image of the industry better or worse than five years ago?” had a total gain in the favorable margin of 7% (with the “better” replies up 3.5% and the “worse” responses down 3.5%). Meanwhile, in the west-central Texas region, the “better” replies to the same question increased 14% while the “worse” responses dropped 14%, for a total favorability gain of 28% (Percival, 2009). Precampaign surveys also asked whether the respondents supported tax surcharges on the oil and gas industry to fund research and development for renewable energy, with supportive responses ranging from 53% to 65% (Percival, 2009). Although the campaign’s impact on attitudes toward this legislative issue was not discussed in the article, it seems likely that more favorable attitudes toward the industry in general may subsequently lead to decreased support for imposing industry-straining taxes.