The Role of Brands in a Disaster

Jameson has spent the last two nights sandbagging Fargo from the rising Red River.  Until 5:30 am, he was in the Fargodome stacking sandbags on pallets to be hauled out (and there's his roommate in the photo to the left!).  Call me crazy, but here is an opportunity for brands to follow through on their promises of "supporting the community" or being "dependable."  A few are doing it right:

• Area hotels are offering discounted rates to flood volunteers
• NDSU has become the backbone of the sandbag effort, donating meals, equipment, and students' time.  I read that over 3500 students have volunteered--that's 35% of the student population.  Go Bison!
  
• The Fargo/Moorhead Convention & Visitors Bureau has turned their Twitter feed into a central resource for volunteering, reporting articles, and monitoring the height of the river.
• Go Radio Broadcasting has created the resource ValleyFloodWatch.com. 

And some missed opportunities:

• Verizon has issued a press release about how they're fortifying their cell service to withstand the water.  Great, but why aren't they sponsoring (paying for, maintaining, and promoting) the volunteer hotline?  There's a text alert service; why aren't they sending their Fargo subscribers messages to notify them and let them opt-in?
• Local restaurants and coffee shops should be dishing out food and drinks to volunteers--along with a coupon for a return after the flood.
• Those who log 10 hours of volunteering should receive a discount on their utility bill.
• Even small gestures like handing out gift cards to volunteers would be appreciated.  If Jitters Coffee or Boppa's Bagels came through the Fargodome at 4:30am, I guarantee that Jameson and the other volunteers would remember them as partners in the fight and reward them for it.

I know some brands could be wary of Red River Flood 2009: Brought to you by Verizon Wireless!  I don't expect the sandbags to be decked out with sponsor logos.  But the impact of uniformed workers donating time and resources would not be quickly forgotten.  In this world of social and one-to-one, this is a chance to be a genuine force for good for the people of the Red River.  In times of crisis, people want to feel like their community is banding together, and the brands that join them are going to be the hometown heroes.  

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