COVID-19 has upended many things for most of the world. Some industries have grinded to a halt (hotels, conventions, bars) and others have never been busier (grocery stores, online shopping, delivery services).
From the communications side of things, how a company tells its story to targeted audiences is more important today than ever before. Pitching that story idea to news outlets during a crisis such as the coronavirus pandemic, becomes an even bigger challenge. There really needs to be a relevant tie-in to the crisis itself to even be considered by the media. If there isn’t, rethink your approach or just hold onto that idea for now.
Organics Unlimited, a San Diego-based organic tropical fruit grower and distributor, tapped into its Disaster Relief GROW Sub-fund which was designed for emergencies like COVID-19. The company issued a statement addressing where support would go and for what purposes. This included sourcing personal protective equipment (PPE) and respirators for clinic providers to the uninsured along with supporting the San Diego Worker Assistance Initiative, which provides resources to laid off low-wage workers to cover utilities and rent or mortgage to prevent homelessness and offset the burden placed on social services.
The press release clearly stated how the company was closely monitoring the situation in its growing regions of Mexico and Ecuador to identify additional organizations to support people during this sensitive time. Organics Unlimited explained how it was taking all necessary precautions to protect its workers and reiterated its tireless work with growers and distributors to maintain an uninterrupted global food supply chain.
This approach was timely and successful in that numerous trade and consumer media outlets featured Organics Unlimited in their respective ongoing COVID-19 news coverage. We picked a relevant angle to how the company was helping others, how it was protecting its workers, and reassuring the marketplace that its organic bananas would continue being delivered without disruption.
If your company could use a hand in determining how to better tell your story, please reach out to the Oster and Associates team. We’re available virtually and ready to help.
