BP Beats Out Bank of America for Consumerist.com's 2011 'Worst Company in America' Title

BP Defeats 32 Companies for the Prestigious Golden Poo Award; Bank of America Earns First-Ever Silver Poo for Its Strong Showing

NEW YORK, April 18, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- After successfully surviving six weeks of eliminations, BP has emerged victorious in Consumerist.com's sixth annual "Worst Company in America" tournament joining the likes of Comcast, AIG, and others.  Newcomer BP narrowly beat out long-time fixture and one-time champion Bank of America to earn the prestigious Golden Poo Award.  Bank of America was previously awarded the Golden Poo as owner of Countrywide Home Loans, the 2008 champion.  BP's victory comes just two days before the first anniversary of its Deepwater Horizon rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico.

BP began strong in Consumerist.com's "Worst Company in America" tournament, despite it being the company's first appearance and proved to be a worthy adversary against other, more seasoned contenders.  Throughout the competition, the company put the brakes on Toyota, cut the cord on Time Warner Cable and denied WellPoint's claim to a championship spot.  In the Final Four bout, BP faced returning 2010 Grand Champion, Comcast, in a battle many thought would end with BP finally being washed away.  Even when pitted against a tournament veteran, novice BP managed to take down the competition.

Although Bank of America did not walk away with the top award this year, the bank giant is no stranger to the final rounds of "Worst Company in America." The company has been a fixture of the tournament since acquiring Countrywide.  Because the voting margin was so narrow in the death match, Consumerist.com will award the first-ever Silver Poo Award to Bank of America.  

"This was the closest battle in 'Worst Company' history," said Meghann Marco, Executive Editor of Consumerist.com.  "But the Deepwater Horizon tragedy remains fresh is consumer's minds and ultimately, BP will take home the coveted Golden Poo."

For six weeks, the bracket-style, single elimination tournament, similar to the NCAA basketball tournament, plowed through 32 nominees in head-to-head match-ups, scaled down by Consumerist.com visitors' votes until the final round on Friday, April 15.  Consumers were able to log on to Consumerist.com and participate in each round of the 'Worst Company in America's' and chime in through comments on the site.  Nearly 230,000 votes were cast throughout the six-week period.  For more on the tournament, please click here.

Be sure to check out Consumerist.com throughout the year for consumer-driven advice about dealing with everything from non-existent customer service to onerous cell-phone contracts to ever-shrinking (and ever-more-expensive) grocery products.

About Consumerist.com

The Consumerist's parent company, Consumer Media LLC, is a subsidiary of Consumers Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports, and ConsumerReports.org, and the nation's leading not-for-profit consumer advocacy organization. Since its founding in 1936, Consumers Union has fought for a fair, just, and safe marketplace for all consumers and to empower consumers to protect themselves. To maintain independence and impartiality, CU accepts neither outside advertising nor free samples. It employs a staff of "mystery shoppers" who buy products in retail stores around the country, just as any other buyer would, and then ship them to the Consumers Union labs, where technical experts test some 3,000 products yearly. 

SOURCE Consumerist.com