BP Oil Spill Creates Gold Rush for the Ad Biz: Yes, There's an App for That

Advertising obviously won't fix the BP oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico, but you wouldn't know that given the number of ads the incident has spurred. From BP's TV apology to Republican attack ads, the disaster off the Gulf Coast has created a bonanza for the ad biz. It's all in stark contrast to the response after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, when companies stopped advertising for a period and upon re-entering the market did so in as toned-down way as possible. Here's a breakdown of who's touting what, with varyin levels of cynicism:

New Orleans v. The British: The city is using its tourism ads to humorously blame the Brits for the spill with an ad campaign under the tagline, "This isn't the first time New Orleans has survived the British." That's a reference to General Andrew Jackson, who repelled a British assault on New Orleans in 1814. The ad was funded by a $5 million from BP.

There's an app for that: Can you save a little yellow duck from drowning in BP's black oil on your iPhone? You can if you pay 99 cents for the ad-free version. Or you could play the free game and sit through ads from companies capitalizing on your morbid gaming interest in the spill.

It's all Obama's fault: A Republican attack ad accuses the president of playing golf instead of crucifying CEO Tony Hayward. (Forget the fact that George W. Bush played plenty of golf during his administration.) The spot ends with a really uncomfortable shot of Obama singing "Hey Jude" on PBS. Red meat!

Gulf states look for handouts: Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and other states are demanding and getting millions from BP for tourism ads telling people "there's nothing wrong down here!" The Sunshine State secured $25 million for ads. About $1 million of that was spent in the Charlotte, N.C., market alone.

There's nothing Crispin Porter + Bogusky can't do: The red-hot ad agency's corporate ego knows no bounds -- it created a blog in hopes of crowdsourcing an engineering solution to the leak. One suggestion: "BP's CEO has a nice head of hair, let's use that."

BP's own advertising: This is a bonanza for BP's various agencies who are working overtime on crisis communications for the beleaguered oil giant. Ogilvy PR, Ogilvy Johannesburg, The Brunswick Group and Purple Strategies are all on BP's ad payroll. In South Africa, the spill isn't even an issue. European ad agencies: WPP (WPPGY) CEO Martin Sorrell and outgoing Aegis (AGS.L) chief John Napier have both showed solidarity with Hayward after Obama's anti-British remarks. Why wouldn't they, with all that oil-spill related ad money sloshing around?

Random ad agencies who just want publicity: Ad agency Pereira & O'Dell is sending staffers to, er ... Naknek, Alaska, to launch a temporary office on a fishing boat. Of course! Obvious! It's to raise "awareness" and funds for the Greater New Orleans Foundation which supports local fishermen.