Brands up their Social Antenna

In 2015, when Chennai was hit with heavy downpour and many low lying areas in the city were put on red alert, Facebook stepped up its game by allowing users to mark if they were safe in areas  close to a disaster area allowing for relief measures to be deployed effectively. This phenomenon opened the eyes of brands to the power of utilizing their resources to combat disaster situations. In an era of responsible advertising and product positioning, brands have outgrown their old functionalities and have in a true sense become a force for social good. Amidst all the challenges, there are few brands who have taken a step forward in order to help the people in distress in Kerala.

Paytm

Paytm is India’s leading mobile payments and financial services company. Paytm has allowed its users to contribute monetary aid. In less than two days, the e-wallet received Rs 10 crore from more than four lakh Paytm users. On the homepage of Paytm, the application provided an icon of open hands that allowed its users to donate. It claimed that it will match the users’ contribution rupee for rupee.

Apart from the Kerala relief fund, Paytm has also opened up contributions for Kodagu, Karnataka, on the application.

Zomato

Zomato has partnered with The Akshaya Patra Foundation to start a Flood Relief fund for those who are affected. Open the Zomato App and tap on food online to start donating. The Akshaya Patra Foundation will use this amount to provide cooked meals to flood affected people of Kerala in Edathua, Alapuzha District. The food is being delivered to people in meal delivery vans and boats.

Ola Cabs

Help Kerala Victims by contributing to CM’s distress relief fund. Show your support with every ride you take.

Google Maps

In such a situation, it’s becoming difficult for families to stay together under one safe roof. The search engine, through its map, is helping the flood-affected to find the nearest shelters and helping homes. The maps provide information about the nearest shelter, medicines, ambulance, jeep rescue, clothing, electricity power station and everything required in the crisis.

ITC

To provide the affected with extremely basic necessities and food, ITC is working closely with the Nodal Relief Officer, Government of Kerala and the Union Ministry of Food. The brand has already dispatched lakhs of food items to the affected.

Uber

Uber is running a collection drive in Chennai and Bangalore from Sun, 19th Aug to Tue, 21st Aug to help Kerala and Kodagu. Please see the feedcard in your Uber app for details on how you can contribute with every ride you take. #IndiaForKerala

Eureka Forbes

Expressing his solidarity for the victims of the floods, Mr. Marzin R Shroff, MD & CEO – Eureka Forbes Limited said, “The floods in Kerala have wreaked widespread havoc and devastated the livelihoods of thousands of people. In a bid to provide help and support to thousands of distressed Keralites, Eureka Forbes has provided emergency relief by distributing 16,000 AquaSure drinking water bottles absolutely free of cost to the survivors and will further continue to do so. This is to ensure that the survivors in the city have sufficient access to safe and healthy drinking water. Also the employees of the company will offer financial assistance by voluntarily contributing their one day (or more) salary towards relief. 

Furthermore, in order to mobilize a more permanent solution, we will be collaborating with Habitat of India to distribute gravity based purifiers and personal purifiers on the go which will not require electricity. Over and above this, our Eurochamps are providing relief by helping senior citizens and helping in cleaning hospitals and public places. We are looking at providing free service machines to our customers whose machines have been affected by the floods. Eureka Forbes is wholeheartedly offering Kerala this moral support by unremittingly providing them with their needs and basic requirements.”

Anchor by Panasonic

In an effort to help normalize the livelihood of those affected by the Kerala floods, Anchor by Panasonic’s HR and Customer Care department have come up with a free service camp called ‘Anchor Care’. The camp has deployed over 100 electricians on ground to take remedial steps related to electricity and power failures. The catastrophe has caused major damage driving thousands of people out of their homes and posing severe health threats to survivors. As water recedes in parts of the state, one of the biggest challenge will be to address the issues related to electricity. The brand has been quick to realize the fact that short circuits will eventually become a rising concern as those affected begin to rebuild their homes.

So far, volunteers from Anchor by Panasonic have reached out to some of the worst affected areas and are working round the clock to provide help in the form of rectifying switches, switchgears, fans, lighting, wires & cables and other electrical appliances. The endeavour has been to reach out to maximum number of houses and solve electrical related issues, irrespective of the nature of the products or brand in use.

Those affected in Kerala must make the most of this critical service to safeguard themselves from short circuits or any other impending calamity. Anchor Electricals Pvt. Ltd.  is urging people and other volunteers in Kerala to reach out to the service by contacting the toll-free number 18001038606 or tweet using #CareForKerala.

Kalyan Jewellers

The floods in Kerala have led to loss of lives and mass displacement. When the flood water recedes and families start going back to their houses, there will be a need for basic essentials such as home cleaning supplies. This is the thought that has motivated Kalyan Jewellers to launch the #DoMoreForKerala initiative. 

• First they identified staff from within their teams who could work at the ground level. The teams were dividing into North, Central and South Kerala units, and each region within its districts were allotted to an individual. These names and details were shared online and with rescue teams and camps across the state. 

• The second step was converting Kalyan Jewellers showrooms across India into collection points, from where ‘Home Re-entry’ Kits can be dropped off, which was then collected and sent across to various parts of state using their on-ground force.