Frankenstorm Whips Up Social Media

After 139mph gusts of wind, 12.55inches of rain and 6.2million left without power, it is great to see large (and small) corporations offering a helping hand to areas that have been devastated by super storm Sandy. Many companies have been donating money in aid of helping those who have been affected. Only 48 hours after the storm had passed the Red Cross had raised $11million for the Sandy relief. To encourage even more donations, iTunes have enabled customers to do it through their site too.

It is not just monetary help being offered though; companies are also providing some of the severely affected areas with goods that will help with the cleanup efforts. Examples of this are General Motors donating 50 Silverardo pickup trucks and cargo vans to facilitate with shifting some of the debris that was left behind. Others have offered nutritional packages and free storage for personal belongings for families who are in need of some extra space.

Obviously when a huge power cut hits a commercial trading ground like the East Coast of America it will cause complete chaos. To reduce this, Duracell have moved all their mobile charging stations to Battery Park and rapid responders are on the streets of New York and New Jersey to give people a respite from lack of electricity. For those who still have their lights on they have been offering a similar service, charging stations have been put in place to give passersby a place to power up.

We think companies getting involved in Natural Disaster aid is an increasing trend, boosting a brands profile. We wonder what you all think about this trend and if you think it is appropriate in this ever increasing climate of natural global disasters?