During this holiday season of goodwill, many people want to lend a helping hand to those in need, and this year there is more need than ever. One New York City hair stylist, Christiano Coro, has chosen to contribute in his own way, by offering free haircuts at his upscale salon to people who are out of work. While Christiano’s objective is to give something back to his own community, his effort has also garnered publicity on major TV stations and national press. You’d pay a lot to get your brand that type of exposure, wouldn’t you? So let’s consider how major brands could follow Christiano’s example.

Before we go any further, let me explain that I’m a customer of Christiano’s. I may not have a lot of hair, but I do like what hair I have to look good, and so for many years, a trip to New York has usually found me visiting Christiano at his salon, Christiano Cora Studio, at 3 W 13th Street.

I feel great when I leave Christiano’s studio sporting a new haircut, and Christiano wanted to help unemployed job seekers feel the same way. As described in this article in today’s New York Times, unemployment has effects that go beyond loss of income. The jobless find they have trouble sleeping, have additional stress in family relationships, and suffer a loss of self-esteem. A haircut can’t solve all those problems, but it can help people stand a little taller and feel more confident going into their next job interview.

Christiano has gotten positive PR in the past for events including a book launch and creative workshops for Davines hair care products. But his two-day “Hair Care” event for the unemployed, held on November 8 and 9, hit the media in a big way. See the coverage on ABC, Univision, The New York Times and elsewhere.

When I was in Christiano’s salon last Saturday, I overheard another client saying that she had seen him on TV and that she admired him for hosting the event. What she didn’t seem to know was that it was not a one-off event. Christiano is continuing to devote his time to this charitable enterprise for four hours each week.

When someone asked why an Italian-born stylist was helping people in New York City, Christiano simply said, “My parents brought me up to believe that you should help other people when they need it.” While he is grateful for the PR coverage, he says he gets far more reward from seeing someone regain their confidence to face a job interview with a new cut.

To my mind, the Hair Care event points the way to any successful PR event. Great publicity comes from creating events that help customers see your brand in a new and positive light. While I always appreciated his haircuts, I now have additional respect for Christiano and will value his services even more. And that is precisely what makes a strong brand. People value it for more than the product or service it offers. Publicity, like any marketing communication, should aim at enhancing a brand’s value, not simply publicizing it.

So, in thinking about publicity for your brand, don’t think in terms of what will get the most coverage. Start by finding an unmet need that is aligned with what your brand stands for. Create a solution that will help customers see your brand in a new and positive light. Involve your employees in the event and make sure the cause is motivating to them as well; after all, they are some of your brand’s best ambassadors.

So what PR events can you think of which might fit the same mold as Christiano’s Hair Care Event? Please share your thoughts.

 Email This Post

This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 15th, 2009 at 7:00 pm and is filed under Brands, Media, Other. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. Print this Page