Having just come off a self imposed quarantine, until we heard that the person who had an illness was a flu, NOT the corona virus. You can call me more than a bit shaken. Once you go through THIS process, images of people who are profiteers of toilet paper, for their own personal gain, aren’t the least bit funny. Yesterday was the day that we found out it was the flu. Never been so happy to know that that’s over. I’m so sorry that someone pregnant had to also live this one out.
It pushed me to write the following, a PR advice. May none of you find out someone in your circle is in his or her own personal crisis… Never mind that this might also be illegal… to incentivize the purchase of alcohol.
This is going to be brief, but I’ll add upon it if I see something else that’s totally insensitive during sensitive times, like I saw this morning.
On Facebook, I saw a retailer who was proudly displaying his bottle of alcohol for sale. On the top of it, he’d placed a new roll of unwrapped toilet paper. On each side of him, he had lined up about a dozen other bottles, all of them also wearing a toilet paper bonnet. He was offering a roll of toilet paper to anyone buying that bottle of spirits.
In the comments, people had begun chuckling.
Too soon, people, its’ just too soon. I commented that this person obviously hadn’t consulted with a PR pro. And, I still can’t get that image out of my head, half a day later.
Here’s why this is just wrong… This story tells it all, exposing this hoarder for his own personal gain. And he represents the beverage industry. Most of us know better, thankfully.
The Other Side of the Coin
I have a friend who spotted an elderly gentleman walking around in a parking lot, his wife in the car, sobbing. Her husband had gone into several stores looking for TP, and not finding any. My friend got his address and told them she’d find some for them, and they could go home, she’d deliver. It took her two hours to fulfill her promise.
I know most of my friends in the beverage industry have more common sense and kinder hearts. Still, not everyone is that evolved yet. So, a word to the wise…
It is in times such as these that everyone’s “true colors” come out! Thankfully, you are spared the incredible dread for the time being, but what about all those who ignorantly keep going about their business as usual? Although clearly posted to our website and social media as closed for the time being, we had to turn folks away who still considered the precautions around COVID-19 a joke or hoax, even this past weekend when Italy was under quarantine and we had had our first death from COVID-19 here in Oregon. As far as businesses in our line of work (#1 hospitality, #2 wine, yes in that order) not doing the “right thing”, I am speechless! Thank you for sharing!
You’re welcome, Susanne. It’s such an important message, as people still giggle. No time for that, really. We just have to get real so it ends sooner, rather than later.