Imagine that a natural disaster has occurred
in your neck of the woods. A massive hurricane made landfall overnight and
damaged about 30 percent of the city, totaling at least $500 million in
damages. Your company makes the mistake of using the buzz surrounding the tragedy
to market a new product but instead of receiving new customers, they get
backlash from the media and consumers.
When brands do this, it comes off as
artificial or offensive, to say the least. Marketing requires a nimble hand,
balancing benefits of engaging with customers and doing damage control on
content that is more focused with the brand than with the audience. Saying and
doing nothing during these instances of crises is probably the best move. The
following are some tips to avoid these mistakes.
First, make sure the content is relevant to
the current natural disaster at hand. If it’s something that you wouldn’t
normally post that puts the company in a positive light then it’s best to pass
on it. Secondly, brands should create volunteering opportunities where
consumers can contribute directly with their money or time. The company should
also strive to make a generous donation to a known relief effort such as the
Red Cross or United Way. Finally, disable scheduled tweets or Facebook posts.
There is nothing more awkward than reading online about a tornado killing 30
people and seeing an ad that has nothing to do with it and comes off as
insensitive.
Though these tips were blunt, brand managers
who continue to use natural disasters as marketing opportunities should proceed
with caution and not make the same mistake twice.
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