Photo: Shell
The price of gas has skyrocketed in the last few months, and it looks like this insane trend won’t stop too soon. The CEO of Shell, however, has the perfect solution: new taxes for oil and gas companies.
You’ve heard it right. The chief executive of one of the world’s largest oil and gas companies calls for government intervention and new taxes to stop the soaring energy costs.
Shell’s boss Ben van Beurden told the audience that the continuously-increasing gas prices are “damaging a significant part of society,” and new taxes that would control the profits of gas and oil companies would help “protect the poor.”
In other words, Shell’s CEO believes that freezing gas prices isn’t necessarily the right way to go, suggesting that once the companies in this sector would have to pay more taxes, the markets would be controlled more efficiently, leading to lower prices for “those who need protection.”
Without a doubt, hearing van Beurden calling for more taxes is something rather unexpected, but on the other hand, this is precisely what experts call PR 101.
While at first glance it may seem like van Beurden has nothing to lose given he will step down on December 31, insisting on the government intervention is actually a move that could eventually double as very effective (and cheap) publicity for Shell.
Lobbying for an idea that wouldn’t happen isn’t a new strategy, but on the other hand, the introduction of new taxes could also help Shell take over smaller players in the industry.
By asking for more taxes, Shell could eventually obtain something that’s a lot more important in the long term: a substantial cut in the profit of the smaller players in the market, eventually giving the company a bigger opportunity of taking them over and therefore gaining market share overnight.
Of course, no matter what Shell’s intentions really are, the statements of its CEO are incredible PR at a time when the world struggles with soaring gas prices. And as the saying goes, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Shell’s boss Ben van Beurden told the audience that the continuously-increasing gas prices are “damaging a significant part of society,” and new taxes that would control the profits of gas and oil companies would help “protect the poor.”
In other words, Shell’s CEO believes that freezing gas prices isn’t necessarily the right way to go, suggesting that once the companies in this sector would have to pay more taxes, the markets would be controlled more efficiently, leading to lower prices for “those who need protection.”
Without a doubt, hearing van Beurden calling for more taxes is something rather unexpected, but on the other hand, this is precisely what experts call PR 101.
While at first glance it may seem like van Beurden has nothing to lose given he will step down on December 31, insisting on the government intervention is actually a move that could eventually double as very effective (and cheap) publicity for Shell.
Lobbying for an idea that wouldn’t happen isn’t a new strategy, but on the other hand, the introduction of new taxes could also help Shell take over smaller players in the industry.
By asking for more taxes, Shell could eventually obtain something that’s a lot more important in the long term: a substantial cut in the profit of the smaller players in the market, eventually giving the company a bigger opportunity of taking them over and therefore gaining market share overnight.
Of course, no matter what Shell’s intentions really are, the statements of its CEO are incredible PR at a time when the world struggles with soaring gas prices. And as the saying goes, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Google News