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

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

Introduction
Hurricane 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.

a monetate ebook | 1


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.

Consumer Online Spending on Monday, Oct 29, 2012:*
New York -26.07% 3-Day Averages
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
-22.30%
-18.52%
By State -38.44%
Connecticut -19.32% -35.35%
Delaware -32.61%

Consumer Online Spending on Tuesday, Oct 30, 2012:*
New York -47.28%
New Jersey -68.71% -18.54%
-47.49%
Pennsylvania -24.23%
Connecticut -54.95%
Delaware -26.47%

Consumer Online Spending on Wednesday, Oct 31, 2012:* -25.73%
New York -33.17%
New Jersey -53.92%
This data reflects the magnitude of the storm's impact on consumer online
Pennsylvania -12.47%
shopping patterns, which raises a bigger issue concerning how marketers message
Connecticut -42.80%
to their customers during disasters. Questions to consider include:
Delaware -16.47%
• How do you communicate with your customers during a time of crisis?
* Compared to averages of four previous respective days. • What impact will your messages have?

• What is your brand's place during a disaster?



The Right Approach for Your Brand
Marketers 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. Marketers need to remember that their voice is
not always needed. Sometimes staying silent is
Exploiting the Disaster the most respectful way to communicate.
There are several times a year when consumers expect their email inboxes to be - Ann Handley, MarketingProfs

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
I can see no reason for a brand to even think
“Storm Sales,” or encourage users to shop via a mobile app while the power is about communicating and taking advantage of a
out. These messages typically offer no real value to the consumer, and often don’t disaster. American Apparel’s ‘Sandy Sale’ deserved
communicate any necessary information relating to the disaster.
every bit of the criticism it received and should be
Newsjacking, according to online marketing strategist and author David Meerman seen as the best example of what not to do.
Scott, involves injecting your ideas or angles into breaking news in order to generate
- Michael Brenner, SAP
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.



Perhaps the most well-documented case of newsjacking Sandy that attracted a While many saw the American Apparel campaign as the ultimate example of what
great deal of negative attention was clothing retailer American Apparel’s “Sandy not to do, the company’s CEO Dov Charney stood by the marketing decision: “I don’t
Sale,” which urged customers to shop if they were “bored during the storm.” think our marketing guys made a mistake. Part of what you want to do in these
Responses spread like wildfire on Twitter, and phrases like “the lowest of low ” and events is keep the wheels of commerce going,” he stated. "People shopped on it.
“boycott,” among others, were prominent. 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 Jonathan Adler 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 Disaster
Many brands have real issues to address with their customers after a disaster.
Marketers who focus their messages around communicating key information
As a marketer, your version of the Hippocratic oath
to audiences send emails about how service could be impacted, share helpful
information, or address other pertinent business issues, like closed locations.
is ‘first, do no harm (to your brand).’ So during
a natural disaster such as Hurricane Sandy, your
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
first step is to evaluate your current marketing
email as the easiest way to reach their audiences after the storm, and chose to campaigns, and suspend them if they aren’t
communicate information regarding service interruptions, store closings, and appropriate. If you’re not sure your message will be
other administrative issues.
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&T segmented its email list to communicate to customers in the Audible.com sent an email to its entire customer list days after Hurricane Sandy,
impacted areas alone in order to deliver a message of compassion during the which shared information on how the storm impacted Audible.com’s day-to-day
storm. An email communicated that the company was waiving all overage and late operations and offered suggestions for how customers could reach its Customer
fees experienced by customers in the affected areas. The messaging was clear, and Care team to resolve any issues that may have gone unresolved during the storm.
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.



Kimpton Hotels took the pain out of cancelling a hotel room during the storm and With little attention going to its own brand, sneakpeeq, a “name your price"”online
subsequent recovery period by sending an email to its list that informed recipients shopping boutique, addressed possible delays customers could experience during
that all fees and penalties associated with changing a reservation would be waived. storm recovery, and set expectations for a higher-than-normal wait time when
calling customer service.



Branding During a Disaster
Marketers who use disaster communication to further their branding efforts could
send messages about pledging a percentage of sales towards recovery, express
How should marketers behave during natural disasters?
their plan to help the situation, or even simply share a sentiment of unity.
Like real people; with empathy, sensitivity, and a
In the days and weeks following Hurricane Sandy, many brands chose to assist in
desire to use their voice to help however they can.
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 - Lee Odden, TopRank Online Marketing
of sales after the storm, but some companies took a very unique approach.

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, Papa John’s took the straightforward approach of donating $1 of every sale to the
and then went on to share its plan to help the recovery efforts. Not only did the American Red Cross, while keeping its messaging very direct.
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.



Saks Fifth Avenue segmented its email list, and communicated a message of Below are examples from Lot18, an online wine retailer, and Jack Rogers, a
support to those in the impacted areas, urging customers to use its brick-and- sandal and clothing company. Both expressed a message of sympathy for those
mortar locations as a safe haven if their homes and businesses were without impacted, and briefly explained how making purchases with them benefited
power—a truly non-promotional communication sent by a brand that seemed hurricane relief efforts.
incredibly genuine and which likely resonated with customers.



Marriott messaged 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.

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

Mitch Joel 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
Best-Selling Author and President, Twist Image
(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
What happens to “business as usual” when disaster strikes? A Hurricane Sandy? A
population. Your heavy users are your best customers. They are your core focus.
Connecticut elementary school shooting? When is it OK to post about your rebates
What do they need? What do they require? How can you best provide value to
on Facebook or tweet out a special offer on Twitter? In the wake of two very scary
them? This strategy must be coupled with sincerity. If you’re offering commentary
and silencing situations, what became fascinating was watching the feeds of
on a disaster or continuing to run promotions during a sensitive time, always be
businesses (and some individuals) that kept their regular content flowing.
sincere about it. The brands that find themselves in trouble are usually the ones
Some people were appalled, some people chastised these brands and, I’m sure, that have removed the humanity, community, and sincerity from their content.
others just went about their regularly scheduled days. It’s a fine line for brands.
These are the brands that are the losers. Sadly, the truth is this: Disaster or not, the
In one sense, a brand (or company) is made up of people. People, like you and I.
brands that remove humanity, community, and sincerity from their content will
They are hard-working people who care deeply about their family, friends, and
always be the losers.
community. In another sense, a brand is often admonished for either saying too
much, too little, or something in between. 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
There are no winners.
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.



Once you think you have a suitable disaster campaign, you’ll want to make sure it
passes these three tests:
Jason“Retailgeek”Goldberg
Vice President of Strategy, Razorfish • Does your campaign legitimately help those being affected by the disaster?

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

As a marketer, your version of the Hippocratic oath is “first, do no harm (to your • Does the campaign position you to directly benefit financially from the
brand).” So during a natural disaster, such as Hurricane Sandy, your first step is disaster? (It shouldn't.)
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 If your campaign doesn’t pass all three tests, you should re-think it.

great time to take a pause.
Very often, you can best help through direct financial support (making a

Once you’ve turned off any inappropriate or untimely messaging, you can donation, pledging a portion of sales, soliciting employee and/or customer

evaluate if there is a disaster-related campaign that is appropriate. It’s important contributions, etc.). Unfortunately, those financial gestures often don’t resonate

to remember that you aren’t marketing to those affected by the disaster, rather strongly with your target audience, so you’ll want to humanize your efforts by

you want to reach one of two groups: blending “doing” with “donating.” Can you give employees time off to volunteer?
Can you repurpose some commercial assets to benefit victims of the disaster?
1. Potential consumers of your product or service, whose impression of you will Can you enhance all your efforts by encouraging your customer base to match
be enhanced by your good deeds. your efforts?

2. Those that you can influence to do good deeds of their own. Disasters are never welcome, but the proper response can turn lemons into
lemonade through improved employee moral, increased customer loyalty, and
The biggest win is when you can do both. Can you tell your audience how you are
humanizing your brand.
helping victims of Hurricane Sandy, and how they can help as well?



Michael Brenner Sam Decker
Sr. Director, Global Marketing, SAP; Founder and CEO, Mass Relevance
President & Co-Founder, Business 2 Community

I believe brands have no business communicating during a disaster unless their Businesses have a reach, so some used their “media” to raise money directly for the
own customers are impacted. For example, Wells Fargo sent me a couple of emails event, in the cases of Marriott and Jet Blue. While this gesture produces goodwill, it
because I live in the affected zone, and they were informing me of their decision may not be effective at raising money, since visitors are on task to shop or buy. I'm
to suspend certain fees (like late fees) due to the disaster. 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
I did see a few brands send status updates on Twitter or Facebook saying their
over the edge to donate, but my guess is companies don't see a lot of conversion
“thoughts and prayers” were going out to the victims. I believe that this reflects
to raise money from this effort.
the real human emotions of the people behind those accounts, which is fine but
shouldn’t be forced. 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
Otherwise, I can see no reason for a brand to even think about communicating and
safest approach and probably a bare minimum to show the company cares. In the
taking advantage of a disaster. American Apparel’s “Sandy Sale” deserved every bit
case of Kimpton hotels, it announced a change in policy that supported victims.
of the criticism it received and should be seen as the best example of what not to do.
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.



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
Lee Odden in a backlash that could have been prevented, had the NRA armed themselves
CEO, TopRank Online Marketing; Author of “Optimize” with knowledge of current events and adjusted message promotions.

Next, use tact and show respect for those affected by the event. Never attempt to
While email is effective for marketers, it’s also an essential first responder tool in capitalize on the increased exposure your brand could see by tying a sales-oriented
combination with social networks used by organizations like the American Red message to the conversation around a natural disaster. American Apparel learned
Cross. Email and social media are ideal for engagement before, during, and after this lesson the hard way during Hurricane Sandy. American Apparel increased its
natural disasters. The trend towards social media use during these difficult times exposure, but at a cost to the brand’s social media reputation.
means marketers must stay on top of current events, and adjust their messaging
Of course, marketers don’t need to completely shut down during natural
accordingly.
disasters. But the tone and frequency of email and social media messaging should
Marketers have an important role to play during a natural disaster. Customers, be adjusted. Contribute to the greater good by re-tweeting or emailing helpful
staff, suppliers, or fans may be among those affected. Two of the most critical information from first responders and aid organizations. Include a short message
qualities for marketers during natural disasters are knowledge and tact. In an age of condolence and a link to a reputable donation site in appropriately timed
of instant communication and highly amplified exposure through social media, emails. Focus on being helpful and offering assistance wherever possible, rather
even the slightest misstep (a poorly timed tweet or an unintentionally insensitive than focusing only on “Daily Deals” or other sales messaging. Companies will earn
email) can reach the eyes and ears of thousands in a matter of minutes. 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.
First, marketers need to listen actively at all times to recognize when potentially
So how should marketers behave during natural disasters? Like real people; with
sensitive events are unfolding. We saw an unfortunate example of not doing this
empathy, sensitivity, and a desire to use their voice to help however they can.
when the NRA posted a tweet that seemed callous during the Aurora, Colorado
People buy from brands they like, and what’s not to like about a brand that helps
movie theater shooting.
when people need it most?



Bryan Eisenberg Ann Handley
Best-Selling Author, Speaker and Online Marketing Pioneer Chief Content Officer, MarketingProfs;
Co-Author of “Content Rules”

While AT&T communicated late fees and overage issues, our offices never received In any kind of crisis, it's essential that marketers carefully consider their messaging.
bills from accounts on T-Mobile and Verizon after Hurricane Sandy. Why not take Brands need to ask these five questions before hitting “Send”:
the time during the weeks after a disaster to make sure bills arrived, to offer to
• Is communicating about the crisis on-brand?
change people to online billing and email instead of print bills, etc.?
• What does your brand stand for in this particular situation?
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 • Can you offer any assistance? Can you make things better?
a little bit about their existing customers. Cablevision was making its customers
• What is the goal of your communication?
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 • If you don't send this communication, what will the consequences be? If you
feel better after a difficult time. Instead, they showed they only care about their do send this communication, what are the possible consequences?
“bad” profits.
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.



• Take clear stock of the impact on your actual operation. Are your logistics
impacted? Will any outstanding delivery or promotional activities be
Nathan Richter adversely impacted? Are stores or other channels not able to operate at
Strategic Services Director, Monetate maximum capacity? Be sure to understand if any legs to your operating stool
have been compromised, and start communicating where needed.

As with any unique event in our changing world, you need to be prepared to • Explore any ways that your company can publicly empathize with the
react and—most importantly—think outside the box. In the digital world, any situation whenever possible. Even if you can't tangibly do anything, just the
inappropriate response will literally live in infamy. In a “first is better” marketing exercise of acknowledgement will show you and your brand are “aware.” This
world, I would advocate getting it right over anything else. should be a cohesive and singular message across your entire organization.

• Digest the situation, and think about your employees/co-workers. The first • Become a part of the solution by aligning your internal resources to convey
and most obvious task is to see what the effect is on the actual people you your response and role within recovery. One way could be to build brand
work with. Focusing on your brand’s response rather than your brand's equity versus a commerce activity component. A great example during
foundation (workers) can be a bigger detriment than any misstep made in Hurricane Sandy was Verizon alerting people within the affected areas that
your public reaction. 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.



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
Brian Kardon marketing can be used to improve the situation. Can you donate a percentage of
CMO, Lattice Engines
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?

Marketers can certainly take the time to plan a well-thought campaign or Even if your company or brand could be described as edgy or avant garde, I
messaging based on a disaster to connect with their audience in a way that will would always err on the side of caution when integrating a natural disaster into
not leave a bad impression, or worse, a new marketing disaster to battle. It is any messaging or marketing communication. It is too sensitive of a time. People
better to sit back and think for a moment, rather than jumping in. 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
Before getting started, marketers should evaluate whether or not it makes sense to
understand how your audience could interpret the different angles or messages.
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 Simply put, if marketers choose to integrate a natural disaster into their messaging,
strengthening it. Always ask yourself : How does this support our brand and goals? the best approach to take is one that is aligned with their brands.


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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