We’ve officially entered the 28th day of the United States’ government shutdown. Regardless of one’s stance on the issues, it’s humbling to see brands stepping up to support the estimated 800,000 government employees that have gone without pay for almost a month now. On January 16th, Kraft opened a pop-up grocery store in Washington DC called “Kraft Now Pay Later.” The store will allow furloughed workers to take home a bag of Kraft products (such as their well-known boxed mac & cheese) free of charge as long as they can present their government ID.
“During the government shutdown, parents should not have to worry about putting dinner on the table because they aren’t receiving a paycheck,”Sergio Eleuterio, head of marketing for Kraft, said in a statement.
It’s not just large corporations that are trying to help government workers out. Small businesses are also stepping up to the ‘pay it forward’ plate.
Efforts like these not only help those affected by the government shutdown but also pique the interest of the increasingly large number of conscientious consumers who prefer to support companies that give back to the communities they live in. “Do good” acts like these can also generate positive earned media that has a far larger reach than just those who are taking the brands up on their offers.
Contributed By: Emma Price, Integer Denver
Photo Credit: The Kraft Heinz Company (pulled from their “Kraft Now Pay Later” Facebook event page)
