Seeing the World Through Sandy Colored Glasses

If you have ever taken a public relations class, you know that weather trumps any aspect of newsworthiness. If you are sending out a pitch to the local paper about your company's new website this week, think again. Sandy has officially taken over.

Rumors have taken over the news, when is Sandy coming? Where? For how long? Grocery stores have been rampaged and raided and people are preparing to hibernate, potentially without electricity, until mid-week.

However, for companies that sometimes depend on the weather (e.g. power companies, hospitals, schools, etc.), bad weather can provide an opportunity to spread awareness. Con Edison, for example, was recently awarded with PR Daily's Best Use of Social Media in a Crisis distinction. Last summer, during Hurricane Irene, Con Edison was in a bind. The company, which provides service to over 9.2 million people, had to restore power to its customers in a timely manner which required interacting with its many customers. To do so, Con Edison took to Twitter. By providing consistent updates, responding to rumors and issues and remaining engaged, Con Edison set a great example for similar organizations worldwide.

Have you seen a company that has set the bar for disaster/crisis response? Let us know below!