This is a somber week. I grew up in areas that were exposed to wildfires, every summer in Montana we were all exposed to the risk of wildfires. I once was faced with a fire a mere 50 meters from my home. We saturated the lawn, turned on the sprinklers (industrial ranching sprinklers) and hoped for the best as we departed with one pickup truck full of our “most important” possessions. Our home was spared, but the same could not be said of everyone around us. We were lucky.
It has been over 30 years since that moment, and I have since moved to places where wildfires were not as frequent. We once had some kids light a fire in the field behind us in Colorado, a scare that charred approximately 15 square meters, not the hundreds or thousands of acres that I witnessed growing up. Upon moving to Hawaii, I never imagined that I would have to worry about something like that in a tropical environment. Even though I moved to a location on Oahu specifically because it was drier and a little less humid, I just never imagined dealing with fires.
Now the country, and even the world, have heard about the devastation happening in Hawaii. A hurricane over 500 miles away has been creating winds that have driven wildfires in the Big Island of Hawaii and on Maui. In Lahaina, Maui – a historical town that is one of my favorites – many historical structures were lost. The Pioneer Inn – a 34-room hotel built in 1901 by British adventurer George Freeland appears to have been completely lost. Even older, the Baldwin Home may be destroyed. It was considered the oldest standing house in Maui. Built-in 1834 or 1835, it was prized for its proximity to ship anchoring sites. It was also the main office for a restoration foundation that wanted to preserve history in architecture.
There is also the historical banyan tree in the town square. I have memories of my first trip to Hawaii with my kids, enjoying Hawaiian shaved ice under that tree at sunset and watching it light up and the birds singing to welcome the evening. From images that I have seen, it appears that the tree was burned, and while the condition is unclear, some experts have suggested that – if the roots remain healthy – the tree will recover. It would be a great symbol if it is able to recover. Something that will not recover easily is the families of those that lost loved ones and their own homes in this disaster. The human toll goes above and beyond everything else.
On Thursday, as the sun was barely rising on the devastation in Maui, I received an email from a local restaurant brand proudly announcing the opening of their newest location, mere minutes from the area devastated by the wildfires. Announcing festivities, contests and specials were at the center of the promotional email.
Certainly, this is not the intended customer experience. You are correct, there was a very conciliatory and direct apology issued just an hour later. What was unique about this very direct press release was that they apologized and took accountability:
To those of you who are questioning the previously sent automated email message, please understand this was scheduled well in advance. With the fire tragedies that have been affecting our island community, unscheduling the former email was not top of mind.
Our team is working diligently to locate our staff and their families. We have been boots on the ground providing refrigeration and generators to the west side, moving food from one location to another in order to freely feed those stranded. We are working to collect water and other supplies that are still needed and will announce our drop off locations later this afternoon.
Please know that the former message was not intentionally sent insensitively.
Despite being scheduled far in advance, canceling this email distribution was probably the last thing on the minds of the managers and marketing directors for the restaurant. Yet, there was still accountability for the mistake. An explanation for the efforts they were taking. And, of course, an apology. I’m sure if we did a social media analysis, there will be many references to this and others (I’m even seeing commercials promoting vacations to the same area). Everything we do, even in the most tragic of times, will reflect on our brand – good and bad.
While I personally know some people impacted by this tragedy, and even know individuals associated with the restaurant above – I know them all to be good people that found themselves in an awkward place. Something we should all reflect upon as brands, consumers, and citizens and recognize that not everything deserves our rage and not everything should be a free pass. Instead, just remember that – while everything impacts the experience and brand image – not everything needs to be a rallying cry unless it is a cry to help those impacted by this situation.
My call to action this week, see what you can do to help. You can support families and communities by contributing to the Maui Strong Fund here. Thank you for reading this week.
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