Lessons From Sandy: 12 Examples and 9 Experts Help Shape Your Email Messaging

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Lessons From Sandy: 12 Examples and 9 Experts Help Shape Your Email Messaging

IntroductIonHurricane Sandy ravaged portions of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast United States,

and is on record as being the second-costliest Atlantic hurricane in history. With

more than 100 U.S. deaths, 7.5 million Americans who lost power, and an estimated

$50 billion in losses, the impact of the “superstorm” cannot be overstated.

Industry analysts scrambled to garner insight into the economic impact of one of

the most dramatic modern examples of such devastation, while online marketers

will reflect for quite some time about how to message to customers during a

disaster.

Disasters present marketers with a unique challenge: What does your brand stand

for in a trying situation like this one? In order to learn from what others have done,

this eBook contains a collection of Hurricane Sandy email messages that span the

range from questionable to inspiring and everywhere in between. And for some

forward-looking guidance, nine marketing experts share their insights on how to

best navigate a disaster.

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Research on ecommerce spending during hurricane impact days in regions affected by the storm (October 29-31, 2012) clearly shows an astounding drop in online spending.

* Compared to averages of four previous respective days.

This data reflects the magnitude of the storm's impact on consumer online

shopping patterns, which raises a bigger issue concerning how marketers message

to their customers during disasters. Questions to consider include:

• Howdoyoucommunicatewithyourcustomersduringatimeofcrisis?

• Whatimpactwillyourmessageshave?

• Whatisyourbrand'splaceduringadisaster?

Consumer Online Spending on Monday, Oct 29, 2012:*

New York -26.07%

New Jersey -22.30%

Pennsylvania -18.52%

Connecticut -19.32%

Delaware -32.61%

Consumer Online Spending on Tuesday, Oct 30, 2012:*

New York -47.28%

New Jersey -68.71%


Connecticut -54.95%

Delaware -26.47%

Consumer Online Spending on Wednesday, Oct 31, 2012:*

New York -33.17%

New Jersey -53.92%


Connecticut -42.80%

Delaware -16.47%

Consumer Online Spending on Monday, Oct 29, 2012:*

New York -26.07%

New Jersey -22.30%


Connecticut -19.32%

Delaware -32.61%

Consumer Online Spending on Tuesday, Oct 30, 2012:*

New York -47.28%

New Jersey -68.71%


Connecticut -54.95%

Delaware -26.47%

Consumer Online Spending on Wednesday, Oct 31, 2012:*

New York -33.17%

New Jersey -53.92%


Connecticut -42.80%

Delaware -16.47%

-35.35%

-18.54% -47.49%

-25.73%

-38.44%

3-Day AveragesBy State







the rIght ApproAch for Your BrAndMarketers may take varying approaches before, during, and after a disaster. From a high-level, these communications can be broken into three categories: exploiting, communicating, and branding.

Exploiting the DisasterThere are several times a year when consumers expect their email inboxes to be

inundated with marketing messages, but few would guess that marketers would

see a disaster as prime-time for an email offer to buy products or services.

Marketers who exploit the situation send disaster-related messages to their email

lists that seem entirely self-serving. Examples of this would be brands that hold

“Storm Sales,” or encourage users to shop via a mobile app while the power is

out. These messages typically offer no real value to the consumer, and often don’t

communicate any necessary information relating to the disaster.

Newsjacking, according to online marketing strategist and author David Meerman

Scott, involves injecting your ideas or angles into breaking news in order to generate

media coverage for yourself or your business. But what about newsjacking a major

storm? Some marketers took a risk and sent Sandy-themed emails before the full

impact of the storm was known, and the backlash was fast, social, and furious.

Marketers need to remember that their voice is not always needed. Sometimes staying silent is the most respectful way to communicate.

- Ann Handley, MarketingProfs

I can see no reason for a brand to even think about communicating and taking advantage of a disaster. American Apparel’s ‘Sandy Sale’ deserved every bit of the criticism it received and should be seen as the best example of what not to do.

- Michael Brenner, SAP







Perhaps the most well-documented case of newsjacking Sandy that attracted a

great deal of negative attention was clothing retailer AmericanApparel’s “Sandy

Sale,” which urged customers to shop if they were “bored during the storm.”

Responses spread like wildfire on Twitter, and phrases like “the lowest of low ” and

“boycott,” among others, were prominent.

While many saw the American Apparel campaign as the ultimate example of what

not to do, the company’s CEO Dov Charney stood by the marketing decision: “I don’t

think our marketing guys made a mistake. Part of what you want to do in these

events is keep the wheels of commerce going,” he stated. "People shopped on it.

We generated tens of thousands of dollars from the sale, but we’ll probably lose a

million dollars from this (storm) event at a minimum. We’re here to sell clothing. I’m

sleeping well at night knowing this was not a serious matter."1

While other examples weren’t as well-publicized, American Apparel was not alone

in its attempt to use Sandy to increase sales. Here’s an email from home decor

retailer JonathanAdler that may be slightly more tactful, but still pushes the

same message and offers no real value to the recipient beyond free shipping.

1. American Apparel Hurricane Sandy Marketing 'Not A Serious Matter,' CEO Dov Charney Says: The Huffington Post, November 1, 2012







Communicating During the DisasterMany brands have real issues to address with their customers after a disaster.

Marketers who focus their messages around communicating key information

to audiences send emails about how service could be impacted, share helpful

information, or address other pertinent business issues, like closed locations.

While power was out in the majority of the impacted areas, many consumers were

still able to access their email via mobile devices. Some companies recognized

email as the easiest way to reach their audiences after the storm, and chose to

communicate information regarding service interruptions, store closings, and

other administrative issues.

As a marketer, your version of the Hippocratic oath is ‘first, do no harm (to your brand).’ So during a natural disaster such as Hurricane Sandy, your first step is to evaluate your current marketing campaigns, and suspend them if they aren’t appropriate. If you’re not sure your message will be well received, it may be a great time to take a pause.

- Jason “Retailgeek” Goldberg, RazorFish

Businesses have a reach, so some used their ‘media’ to raise money directly for the event, in the cases of Marriott and JetBlue. While this gesture produces goodwill, it may not be effective at raising money, since visitors are on task to shop or buy.

- Sam Decker, Mass Relevance







For instance, AT&Tsegmented its email list to communicate to customers in the

impacted areas alone in order to deliver a message of compassion during the

storm. An email communicated that the company was waiving all overage and late

fees experienced by customers in the affected areas. The messaging was clear, and

the branding was not overly promotional or self-serving. By sending such an email,

AT&T established that it was in touch with the needs of its customer base.

Audible.com sent an email to its entire customer list days after Hurricane Sandy,

which shared information on how the storm impacted Audible.com’s day-to-day

operations and offered suggestions for how customers could reach its Customer

Care team to resolve any issues that may have gone unresolved during the storm.







KimptonHotels took the pain out of cancelling a hotel room during the storm and

subsequent recovery period by sending an email to its list that informed recipients

that all fees and penalties associated with changing a reservation would be waived.

With little attention going to its own brand, sneakpeeq, a “name your price"”online

shopping boutique, addressed possible delays customers could experience during

storm recovery, and set expectations for a higher-than-normal wait time when

calling customer service.







Branding During a DisasterMarketers who use disaster communication to further their branding efforts could

send messages about pledging a percentage of sales towards recovery, express

their plan to help the situation, or even simply share a sentiment of unity.

In the days and weeks following Hurricane Sandy, many brands chose to assist in

recovery efforts by engaging their customers, while others chose to share a message

of support for those impacted. The most popular tactic was donating a percentage

of sales after the storm, but some companies took a very unique approach.

How should marketers behave during natural disasters? Like real people; with empathy, sensitivity, and a desire to use their voice to help however they can.

- Lee Odden, TopRank Online Marketing

The brands that find themselves in trouble are usually the ones that have removed the humanity, community, and sincerity from their content.

- Mitch Joel, Twist Image







JetBlue first communicated that its flights were all operating on a normal schedule,

and then went on to share its plan to help the recovery efforts. Not only did the

company match donations made to the Red Cross through its website, the airline

also promoted its loyalty program by offering customers reward points for each

dollar donated.

PapaJohn’s took the straightforward approach of donating $1 of every sale to the

American Red Cross, while keeping its messaging very direct.







Saks FifthAvenue segmented its email list, and communicated a message of

support to those in the impacted areas, urging customers to use its brick-and-

mortar locations as a safe haven if their homes and businesses were without

power—a truly non-promotional communication sent by a brand that seemed

incredibly genuine and which likely resonated with customers.

Below are examples from Lot18, an online wine retailer, and Jack Rogers, a

sandal and clothing company. Both expressed a message of sympathy for those

impacted, and briefly explained how making purchases with them benefited

hurricane relief efforts.







Marriottmessaged Rewards Club members with an opportunity to help victims

by donating their rewards points to those in need. This example showcases the

brand’s dedication to recovery after the storm, while offering a special perk for its

most loyal customers.







WhAt the experts sAY...There’s no right way to effectively message your customers during a disaster. One brand’s decision could result in backlash for another. We

asked some of the brightest and most influential minds in marketing to share their opinions on the topic. Their feedback is as varied as the email

campaigns sent during Hurricane Sandy, but their advice could help you and your brand avoid costly marketing missteps in the future.

What happens to “business as usual” when disaster strikes? A Hurricane Sandy? A

Connecticut elementary school shooting? When is it OK to post about your rebates

on Facebook or tweet out a special offer on Twitter? In the wake of two very scary

and silencing situations, what became fascinating was watching the feeds of

businesses (and some individuals) that kept their regular content flowing.

Some people were appalled, some people chastised these brands and, I’m sure,

others just went about their regularly scheduled days. It’s a fine line for brands.

In one sense, a brand (or company) is made up of people. People, like you and I.

They are hard-working people who care deeply about their family, friends, and

community. In another sense, a brand is often admonished for either saying too

much, too little, or something in between.

There are no winners.

That is the raw, hard, and honest truth about creating content during troubled

times. Some people will be offended (but say nothing), others will call you

out (forcing a brand to defend its position), and others will think that it’s fine

(understanding that life goes on, we rebuild and move forth).

So, what’s the best game plan? Think about your heavy users, not the entire

population. Your heavy users are your best customers. They are your core focus.

What do they need? What do they require? How can you best provide value to

them? This strategy must be coupled with sincerity. If you’re offering commentary

on a disaster or continuing to run promotions during a sensitive time, always be

sincere about it. The brands that find themselves in trouble are usually the ones

that have removed the humanity, community, and sincerity from their content.

These are the brands that are the losers. Sadly, the truth is this: Disaster or not, the

brands that remove humanity, community, and sincerity from their content will

always be the losers.

Last snippet of advice: No brand was ever accused of doing something wrong

or insincere by acknowledging a tragedy and sincerely offering to help. Don’t do

these things because it’s good for business. Do these things because it’s good for

humanity. The business part will then work itself out.

Mitch JoelBest-Selling Author and President, Twist Image







As a marketer, your version of the Hippocratic oath is “first, do no harm (to your

brand).” So during a natural disaster, such as Hurricane Sandy, your first step is

to evaluate your current marketing campaigns, and suspend them if they aren’t

appropriate. If you’re not sure your message will be well received, it may be a

great time to take a pause.

Once you’ve turned off any inappropriate or untimely messaging, you can

evaluate if there is a disaster-related campaign that is appropriate. It’s important

to remember that you aren’t marketing to those affected by the disaster, rather

you want to reach one of two groups:

1. Potential consumers of your product or service, whose impression of you will

be enhanced by your good deeds.

2. Those that you can influence to do good deeds of their own.

The biggest win is when you can do both. Can you tell your audience how you are

helping victims of Hurricane Sandy, and how they can help as well?

Once you think you have a suitable disaster campaign, you’ll want to make sure it

passes these three tests:

• Does your campaign legitimately help those being affected by the disaster?

• Will the campaign enhance your brand, through your good deeds?

• Does the campaign position you to directly benefit financially from the

disaster? (It shouldn't.)

If your campaign doesn’t pass all three tests, you should re-think it.

Very often, you can best help through direct financial support (making a

donation, pledging a portion of sales, soliciting employee and/or customer

contributions, etc.). Unfortunately, those financial gestures often don’t resonate

strongly with your target audience, so you’ll want to humanize your efforts by

blending “doing” with “donating.” Can you give employees time off to volunteer?

Can you repurpose some commercial assets to benefit victims of the disaster?

Can you enhance all your efforts by encouraging your customer base to match

your efforts?

Disasters are never welcome, but the proper response can turn lemons into

lemonade through improved employee moral, increased customer loyalty, and

humanizing your brand.

Jason “Retailgeek” GoldbergVice President of Strategy, Razorfish







I believe brands have no business communicating during a disaster unless their

own customers are impacted. For example, Wells Fargo sent me a couple of emails

because I live in the affected zone, and they were informing me of their decision

to suspend certain fees (like late fees) due to the disaster.

I did see a few brands send status updates on Twitter or Facebook saying their

“thoughts and prayers” were going out to the victims. I believe that this reflects

the real human emotions of the people behind those accounts, which is fine but

shouldn’t be forced.

Otherwise, I can see no reason for a brand to even think about communicating and

taking advantage of a disaster. American Apparel’s “Sandy Sale” deserved every bit

of the criticism it received and should be seen as the best example of what not to do.

Businesses have a reach, so some used their “media” to raise money directly for the

event, in the cases of Marriott and Jet Blue. While this gesture produces goodwill, it

may not be effective at raising money, since visitors are on task to shop or buy. I'm

sure by the time they see this invitation, they've had many solicitations to donate

via mass media or social media. This additional impression may help push them

over the edge to donate, but my guess is companies don't see a lot of conversion

to raise money from this effort.

The personal letters notifying customers that companies are doing their best to

deal with the shipping issues are OK, but I find them lacking substance. This is the

safest approach and probably a bare minimum to show the company cares. In the

case of Kimpton hotels, it announced a change in policy that supported victims.

The worst approach is to be straight-up commercial. Simply tying a discounted

shopping event to the disaster seems crass. The better approach is to use the retailing

business model to raise money for the disaster, as done by Jack Rogers, Papa John's,

and Lot 18. From a marketing perspective, I think this is the best approach because

they are tying the task of their visitors (shopping) to help in the disaster.

What I didn't see was partnership between retailers and manufacturers where

they could offer specific product at a deep discount and all proceeds go to the

disaster. That purchase, and that brand, would be remembered for the donation to

Hurricane Sandy, thus producing goodwill for the retailer and the manufacturer.

Michael BrennerSr. Director, Global Marketing, SAP; President & Co-Founder, Business 2 Community

Sam DeckerFounder and CEO, Mass Relevance







While email is effective for marketers, it’s also an essential first responder tool in

combination with social networks used by organizations like the American Red

Cross. Email and social media are ideal for engagement before, during, and after

natural disasters. The trend towards social media use during these difficult times

means marketers must stay on top of current events, and adjust their messaging

accordingly.

Marketers have an important role to play during a natural disaster. Customers,

staff, suppliers, or fans may be among those affected. Two of the most critical

qualities for marketers during natural disasters are knowledge and tact. In an age

of instant communication and highly amplified exposure through social media,

even the slightest misstep (a poorly timed tweet or an unintentionally insensitive

email) can reach the eyes and ears of thousands in a matter of minutes.

First, marketers need to listen actively at all times to recognize when potentially

sensitive events are unfolding. We saw an unfortunate example of not doing this

when the NRA posted a tweet that seemed callous during the Aurora, Colorado

movie theater shooting.

As that crisis evolved on Twitter, the official NRA account tweeted, “Good morning,

shooters. Happy Friday! Weekend plans?” The message was ill timed and resulted

in a backlash that could have been prevented, had the NRA armed themselves

with knowledge of current events and adjusted message promotions.

Next, use tact and show respect for those affected by the event. Never attempt to

capitalize on the increased exposure your brand could see by tying a sales-oriented

message to the conversation around a natural disaster. American Apparel learned

this lesson the hard way during Hurricane Sandy. American Apparel increased its

exposure, but at a cost to the brand’s social media reputation.

Of course, marketers don’t need to completely shut down during natural

disasters. But the tone and frequency of email and social media messaging should

be adjusted. Contribute to the greater good by re-tweeting or emailing helpful

information from first responders and aid organizations. Include a short message

of condolence and a link to a reputable donation site in appropriately timed

emails. Focus on being helpful and offering assistance wherever possible, rather

than focusing only on “Daily Deals” or other sales messaging. Companies will earn

more respect and goodwill by showing compassion.

In the weeks following Hurricane Sandy, the American Red Cross raised more than

$158 million in donations and pledges, partly through online marketing and viral

messaging. Companies can participate in promoting these worthy causes while

helping to build their reputation as a caring and socially aware business.

So how should marketers behave during natural disasters? Like real people; with

empathy, sensitivity, and a desire to use their voice to help however they can.

People buy from brands they like, and what’s not to like about a brand that helps

when people need it most?

Lee OddenCEO, TopRank Online Marketing; Author of “Optimize”







While AT&T communicated late fees and overage issues, our offices never received

bills from accounts on T-Mobile and Verizon after Hurricane Sandy. Why not take

the time during the weeks after a disaster to make sure bills arrived, to offer to

change people to online billing and email instead of print bills, etc.?

Instead, we now have to waste our time to let them know we never got their bills

sent out around Hurricane Sandy. All they needed to do is show they cared just

a little bit about their existing customers. Cablevision was making its customers

file claims to get rebates. But their data shows who had outages—and they could

easily use this to automate credits for the downtime, and make their customers

feel better after a difficult time. Instead, they showed they only care about their

“bad” profits.

In any kind of crisis, it's essential that marketers carefully consider their messaging.

Brands need to ask these five questions before hitting “Send”:

• Is communicating about the crisis on-brand?

• What does your brand stand for in this particular situation?

• Can you offer any assistance? Can you make things better?

• What is the goal of your communication?

• If you don't send this communication, what will the consequences be? If you

do send this communication, what are the possible consequences?

The potential backlash a brand can face for a misstep during a crisis far outweighs

most benefits. Marketers need to remember that their voice is not always needed.

Sometimes staying silent is the most respectful way to communicate.

Bryan EisenbergBest-Selling Author, Speaker and Online Marketing Pioneer

Ann HandleyChief Content Officer, MarketingProfs; Co-Author of “Content Rules”







As with any unique event in our changing world, you need to be prepared to

react and—most importantly—think outside the box. In the digital world, any

inappropriate response will literally live in infamy. In a “first is better” marketing

world, I would advocate getting it right over anything else.

• Digest the situation, and think about your employees/co-workers. The first

and most obvious task is to see what the effect is on the actual people you

work with. Focusing on your brand’s response rather than your brand's

foundation (workers) can be a bigger detriment than any misstep made in

your public reaction.

• Take clear stock of the impact on your actual operation. Are your logistics

impacted? Will any outstanding delivery or promotional activities be

adversely impacted? Are stores or other channels not able to operate at

maximum capacity? Be sure to understand if any legs to your operating stool

have been compromised, and start communicating where needed.

• Explore any ways that your company can publicly empathize with the

situation whenever possible. Even if you can't tangibly do anything, just the

exercise of acknowledgement will show you and your brand are “aware.” This

should be a cohesive and singular message across your entire organization.

• Become a part of the solution by aligning your internal resources to convey

your response and role within recovery. One way could be to build brand

equity versus a commerce activity component. A great example during

Hurricane Sandy was Verizon alerting people within the affected areas that

they could come to a local Verizon store for device charging. No sales, no

pitch… just service. This effort will be remembered and the favor returned

at contract renewal time. The biggest value you can bring is being part of the

fabric of the community.

Nathan RichterStrategic Services Director, Monetate







Marketers can certainly take the time to plan a well-thought campaign or

messaging based on a disaster to connect with their audience in a way that will

not leave a bad impression, or worse, a new marketing disaster to battle. It is

better to sit back and think for a moment, rather than jumping in.

Before getting started, marketers should evaluate whether or not it makes sense to

include messaging about the natural disaster in their email communications at all. It

may not be relevant, and result in diluting a company’s brand or image rather than

strengthening it. Always ask yourself : How does this support our brand and goals?

For example, if your company were charitable, it would be in poor taste to exploit

the disaster in a way to simply get attention. Instead, think about how your

marketing can be used to improve the situation. Can you donate a percentage of

proceeds from sales during a period of time? Can you run a campaign to collect

donations through your website? Is there something else you can do to help?

Even if your company or brand could be described as edgy or avant garde, I

would always err on the side of caution when integrating a natural disaster into

any messaging or marketing communication. It is too sensitive of a time. People

and their families, homes, and businesses could be in real danger. In an era when

more and more companies are taking the newsjacking approach, it is important to

understand how your audience could interpret the different angles or messages.

Simply put, if marketers choose to integrate a natural disaster into their messaging,

the best approach to take is one that is aligned with their brands.

Brian KardonCMO, Lattice Engines





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Lessons From Sandy: 12 Examples and 9 Experts Help Shape Your Email Messaging

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Transcript of Lessons From Sandy: 12 Examples and 9 Experts Help Shape Your Email Messaging