Advertising and Sandy

As I write this posting, the Nor’easter is raging.

The lights are not back for all Long Islanders.

The recovery from Hurricane/Superstorm Sandy (you pick) is just starting.

From an advertising perspective, ads and promotional efforts that have “borrowed interest”, that is, use the storm as a reference to their brand, have been reported as efforts that  have either soared, or fallen. The New York Times was one of a number of media sources that reported the retailers that made gaffes when referring to this storm in their sales. This included the American Apparel’s tweet that offered “those ‘bored during the storm,’ to take advantage of a “Hurricane Sandy sale” with the checkout code “Sandysale.”  

Another site suggested that American Apparel went to an email approach as well, offering 20% sale “ ‘in case you’re bored by the storm’” and included a map that made the offer to the hurricane affected states only.

On the other hand, many companies, brands and retailers stepped up and showed their community concern. Firms like Home Depot and Sears got a variety of provisions like generators, flashlights, cleaning supplies shipped quickly to their stores as well as Target’s donations of cribs, pillows, etc. to the storm ravaged communities for immediate assistance. And Duracell’s set up in Battery Park (get it?) didn’t go unnoticed – its Duracell Rapid Responder truck offered free batteries, and access to charging stations for mobile devices and computers.

A personal favorite acknowledging Sandy’s impact is the radio spot from Brad Benson’s Hyundai. The commercials are typically love ‘em or hate ‘em but always relevant to the latest current events. This time, if I remember correctly, Brad speaks to donating money to the American Red Cross as well as car financing that will include a $5000 check with every purchase. No humor about pro athletes or celebrities...just a realization that the community where we all live and work needs its vendors just as much as they need us.