The call for a boycott of BP in the wake of its ongoing disastrous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is hardly surprising. The boycott, which in BP’s case was proposed by consumer group Public Citizen, is a tactic that has been used for centuries by consumers as a way to express outrage. While research shows many boycotts come up short in forcing their targets to give in to the demands of protest organizers, they can have real impact in terms of lost sales and a damaged reputation. In the case of BP, however, experts say a boycott is likely to be only a nuisance when compared to the outsized legal liability the company is facing from the Gulf spill. The Popularity and Impact of Boycotts in Modern Consumer Culture The use of the boycott as a form of consumer protest is more popular than ever, however. “Boycotts are shockingly common,” says Maurice Schweitzer , a Wharton professor of operations and information management.…