Advertising During Disasters
Companies and Agencies Struggle to Communicate in Emergencies
Sep 14, 2008
Emergency advertising can be as simple as advising customers the company has reopened and as complex as addressing negative media reports. It also calls for the organization to show concern for the community, perhaps offer some special benefit and develop new ads overnight.
The 2008 hurricanes along the Gulf of Mexico illustrated the value of organizations having emergency plans for communicating with their regular customers, employees and with new stakeholders created by a disaster.
Electrical company Entergy, which has had extensive hurricane experience, faced the job of consoling customers who were left without electricity for days and of warning them of the dangers of dangling power lines.
Hurricane Gustav Cut Power to 800,000
It ran full page ads announcing that Hurricane Gustav "took power away from more than 800,000 Louisiana customers," adding "we’re bringing it all back with the help of 14,000 restoration workers and the power of the human spirit." It illustrated the ad with a photograph of a lineman working on a power pole.
Entergy listed its information centers and invited customers "to speak face-to-face" with a company representative.
Capital One Bank ran ads saying it understood the hardships associated with being hit by two hurricanes in three years. It offered an 800-number for 24-hour access to a bank associate, reminded customers of its website services and announced it would temporarily waive its fee for customers using another bank’s ATM.
Longer Service Hours
Chase Bank expressed its concern with an ad that said: "Extending Our Help by Extending Our Hours." It listed the branches that were offering longer hours. Gulf Coast Bank ran a full color quarter page ad urging customers to visit its website for a list of open branches. The ad was illustrated with an unexplained graphic of a pig operating a computer.
Another bank ran an ad headlined: "Shining through for New Orleans. Even on Saturday." It boasted: "We responded quickly to make sure we could open our doors to our customers as soon as possible."
Dillard’s department stores offered 75 percent savings on numerous items and announced that some stores "may close early due to hurricane curfews."
Rouse used full page ads to announce it had grocery stores open "all over South Louisiana." It thanked customers for their patience while it restocked shelves and reopened other stores.
Rouse also urged employees to "contact the nearest open Rouse location for personal assistance, payroll information and reassignment as soon as you can safely do so."
Winn Dixie ran a full page ad saying "We’re Open! Thanks to our dedicated Winn-Dixie Associates." It illustrated the ad with a huge red check mark.
Dorignac’s Food Center advertised that it was "Open for Business 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. daily," adding: "Welcome back! We are here to serve our community."
Auto dealerships also ran "Open for Business" ads. General Motors dealers used the ads to promote their "Employee Discounts for Everyone."
All State Insurance Offered "Good Hands"
All State insurance, which came under severe criticism during Hurricane Katrina, ran full page ads headlined: "Our Good Hands Are Here to Help" and listed its claims service phone number. Travelers and other insurance companies ran ads advising customers how to file claims."
Even the National Guard joined the disaster advertisers. It ran a full page, full color recruiting ad saying "the people of our nation count on the National Guard in times of crisis," adding: "You, too, can join the men and women with the skills and courage to take on the toughest of challenges."
Source: The Times-Picayune, September 1-6, 2008
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