There were no shortage of braindead marketers who tried to exploit disaster, fear and tragedy to sell their clothes, hotel and souls.  True to form, the community has given them the hell and negativity they have invited upon themselves.  But one marketer made a huge impression on me.  In a good way.

Today I received two emails from American Express.  Both were identical and read as follows:

Dear JONATHAN BURG,  As one of our Cardmembers living in the area impacted by Hurricane Sandy, we hope this note finds you and your loved ones safe. We also wanted to let you know that American Express is here for you if you need emergency financial, medical or travel assistance.  To reach us, simply go online at www.americanexpress.com, call the number on the back of your Card or tweet us at @AskAmex.  Sincerely, American Express Customer Service

 American Express is a premium brand selling that promises peace of mind as a product attribute.  They didn't tweet out "Did you know that American Express card purchases are protected for up to 12 months #Sandy", rather they tweeted:

We hope you & your loved ones are safe. We're here to help @AskAmex or by calling # on back of Card. Stay tuned for addl updates! #Sandy

While other brands clearly would have put a homepage message that said "Stuck at home during the storm?  Why not go shopping with your Membership Rewards here!", American Express put up a homepage box directing those impacted by Sandy to a new page detailing support options for those impacted by the storm.

These communications are huge marketing wins for American Express.  Because they don't come across as marketing.  They demonstrate honest, human concern.  They come across as both personal and sincere.  They don't feel like marketing, they feel like they care.  And I believe that whoever wrote these messages really does care.  

Proud member since 2007.