Crisis public relations at Pennzoil: An organization's corporate communication response during a landmark legal battle

On New Year's day, 1984, Pennzoil was closing in on the biggest deal in its history. The purchase of Getty Oil would propel Pennzoil into the top ranks of the oil industry. But it was not to be.;Before the week was out, Texaco stung Pennzoil by purchasing Getty out from under them. Pennzoil sued, and the resulting David versus Goliath battle in the Texas courts ended with Goliath Texaco losing out to the pint-sized Pennzoil.;Pennzoil was awarded ;The legal aspects of the case have been well documented in various books and articles. What has not been examined is the story of how Pennzoil communicated their position to the public at large. From the first contact with Getty Oil until long after the final verdict was rendered, the public relations efforts of the Pennzoil company were a vital part of their strategy in winning the case, not only in state court, but in the more volatile court of public opinion.;The archives pertaining to Pennzoil's battle with Texaco are housed in the Center for American History at the University of Texas, Austin. Included in the collection are all the Pennzoil papers, documents, and recordings pertaining to the case, including scores of oral histories given by the participants.;This dissertation examines the role of public relations in the Pennzoil-Texaco battle, and documents the strategies and tactics of Pennzoil's public relations effort in one of the most fascinating events in American corporate history.