This Billboard Saves Lives.

Here's a novel idea: help people in crisis and build goodwill for your brand by providing free supplies during emergencies before rescue teams even have a chance to respond.

That's what Indian telecommunications company Aircel did during this year's monsoon season in Mumbai.


Photo by Aircel. See the full slideshow of events at www.aircel.com/Mumbai_sails_through_aircel/

Aircel attached an inflated life raft to a billboard near the Milan subway in Mumbai; the billboard read, "In case of emergency, cut rope." Citizens of Mumbai followed the billboard's instructions when a monsoon flooded the streets on July 15, 2009. With the Milan subway nearly impassable, a group of Mumbaians cut the rope and used the Aircel boat to row themselves to safety.

According to CMD Global, Aircel now plans to expand the billboard campaign to Delhi and Calcutta also.

This corporate social responsibility effort actually helped people in the crucial moments of a crisis - while the rains were still falling, the floods were still rising, and people needed immediate help. Perhaps U.S. companies could follow Aircel's lead - lashing life rafts to billboards along the Gulf Coast during hurricane season; snowshoes and shovels in the Northeast during the winter; fire blankets and hoses in California during the summer.

Can we pre-plan ways to help each other during crises, instead of relying on our government to rescue us?

Some of my more cynical friends might accuse such corporate social responsibility efforts of being mere ploys to attract more customers. And perhaps they are - for some. And certainly, good works ought to be done with pure motives. But I, for one, would much rather give my purchasing dollars to companies who are doing good for society, than to companies who aren't.

Marketers, keep seeking more ways to genuinely help people. Consumers, vote with your dollars - support companies who are champions for good in the world.