In the aftermath of Hurricane/Superstorm Sandy, I sat watching the news in shock at the sheer devastation in the Northeast region. There were many scenes similar to what we had experienced after hurricanes Katrina and Rita. I wanted to do something to help.
Since Peter Mayer works with Zatarain’s, I knew we had the perfect partner, one able to represent New Orleans and the flavor of New Orleans to consumers across the country. Zatarain’s helped find a way to make an impact on the lives of those who needed help the most. The week of Nov. 5, 2012, Zatarain’s assembled a team to drive to New York, found a location where citizens needed help, prepared and served more than 3,500 meals to citizens of one of the hardest hit regions – Staten Island, NY.
Our primary goal on this trip was simple: showcase the brand as “having lived through similar disasters; we’re here to help.” If we got media exposure, so be it. That wasn’t the reason to go. The primary reason was to help those in need, to give the people hurting the most a message of hope, love and encouragement from those who have been there before.
The community reaction was one of overwhelming gratitude. It was moving to be able to do something for those who had just lost everything.
The media reaction to our outreach was overwhelming as well. Our efforts resulted in positive earned media coverage for the Zatarain’s brand on more than 230 TV broadcasts across the U.S. (approximately 8.5 million impressions), including USA Today, CNN Headline News, FOX News and all of the major TV stations in New York and New Orleans.
People also responded positively on Zatarain’s Facebook page.
Again, the goal of this initiative was not to earn media coverage for Zatarain’s. But the media’s reaction to the work we were doing there struck a nerve and reminded everyone involved of what really matters – which is helping one another out when you’re able to.
Brad Grantham is a Public Relations Account Supervisor for Peter Mayer based in Baton Rouge. Before joining Peter Mayer, Grantham managed newsrooms in North Carolina, Tennessee and Louisiana for over 15 years. He has directed news coverage and content from events ranging from tornado outbreaks and hurricanes to presidential campaigns and even Super Bowl runs.