Levit Urges Corporate Compassion in the Face of Tragedy
Yearbook of
Experts, 12 January 2005 – An outpouring of worldwide support
follows tragedies and disasters, such as the tsunami that devastated
South Asia. The most common way of showing compassion is to provide
financial support to those affected. Compassion is among the most
attractive qualities of the human spirit.
But in the face of
a tragedy, what are the most appropriate actions for marketers to
take? According to Partners & Levit Advertising’s managing
partner, Mark Levit. “Financial relief is the universal way to
demonstrate a company contributes to the greater good. A pitfall
manifests, though, when the corporation’s motives are in
question.”
Historically, certain companies have made the
mistake of advertising their efforts to help victims. “Showing you
care is the responsible thing to do as a corporate citizen, but
patting yourself on the back for it is generally tasteless. It is
perceived as exploiting a tragedy,” said Levit.
Philip Morris
(now Altria Group) did tremendous damage to their already tarnished
public perception in 2000 when they launched a $100 million campaign
to promote their $2 million donation to national domestic violence
programs. Anheuser-Busch made a similar mistake when they created
and aired a national television commercial after the September 11th
attacks to announce contributions of $3 million to relief
organizations.
Levit continued, “Corporations must
demonstrate caring without flaunting it. Marketers might consider
providing a public service, such as sponsoring uninterrupted news
coverage, which benefits their customers. Besides, it’s pointless to
advertise during times when customers’ attention is focused on
devastating events.”
Tragedies change the mindsets of
customers. It is important advertisers be sensitive to those
changes. A shift occurs in terms of what was important before a
disaster and what is important during and after.
In perilous
times, changing or stopping an inappropriate advertising campaign is
the responsible thing to do. A crisis changes the context of a
corporation’s advertising strategy. “A campaign that is a creative
stroke of genius may seem insensitive in a time of turmoil,” added
Levit.
Corporate generosity delivers greater benefits than
those of avoiding negative press — they give customers a sense of
relief. Customers in general feel more at ease when they perceive
corporations are contributing to the greater good. “Ultimately, this
is one of the most important considerations, as it affects the well
being of customers,” Levit concluded.
Copyright 2005 Broadcast Interview Source, Inc. Yearbook of
Experts
Yearbook of
Experts, 12 January 2005 – An outpouring of worldwide support
follows tragedies and disasters, such as the tsunami that devastated
South Asia. The most common way of showing compassion is to provide
financial support to those affected. Compassion is among the most
attractive qualities of the human spirit. 
