» Local businesses get free ads.
When money is tight, the first thing to go is advertising. Account supervisor Mark Pereira and his colleagues at the Houstonbased ad agency the Lee Group know this all too well. So when the coronavirus pandemic hit and their clients started cutting back on advertising services, they came up with a plan of action: offering them for free.
“We’re a small business, just like all the countless other small businesses in Houston,” said Pereira. “Our team was like: Why don’t we put our money where our mouth is and show businesses what we can do?”
Houston Rallies, the Lee Group’s new campaign, offers a week of advertising on a rotating basis to small businesses that are struggling during the pandemic. This includes a feature published on the Houston Rallies website, digital and social media advertising, as well as use of the Lee Group’s PR services. The aim is to tell each company’s unique story and how they’re faring in the age of shutdowns and social distancing — all free of charge.
The first week, the team highlighted Pinkerton’s Barbecue. Owner and pitmaster Grant Pinkerton had pivoted to to-go and delivery service, something the barbecue joint had never done before. He changed his menu to focus on short-order items to accommodate the switch. The team is also donating food to COVID-19 testing sites.
“We are just doing our part to help those who are putting themselves at risk to help get this thing under control,” Pinkerton says in the featured story on Houston Rallies’ website.
Come Monday, Prison Break Tattoos will enjoy its time in the spotlight. The parlor, which had to put down its needles and ink for the stay-at-home order, has turned into a donation center for first responders.
Harold’s, a restaurant, bar and general store in the
Heights, will soon join the rotation to discuss resiliency in the face of hurricanes and other unfortunate events.
So will Ledge Lounger, a maker of in-pool furniture that had to adapt to its hotel and resort clients drying up by ramping up production of direct-to-consumer goods.
Another future participant, Cornerstone Automotive, will tell the tale of how the business changed ownership in the middle of the pandemic.
Businesses can apply for Houston Rallies’ pro-bono services through the “Join the Movement” form on the website. The Lee
Group team is intentionally choosing a diverse set of companies that have compelling stories to tell. They can’t offer the whole gamut to everyone, but they’re also committing to smaller gestures such as shoutouts on social media for people who aren’t picked.
While it’s taking a lot of resources and personpower to keep the Houston Rallies campaign running, mentions of the Lee Group on promotional material is subtle or non-existent. “We really want the focus to be on the small businesses, we don’t want to be selfserving,” said Pereira.
That being said, the agency is open about its hopes of getting some business from this down the line. There are no expectations for any of the Houston Rallies beneficiaries to become clients of the Lee Group, but the team wants to show off what they can do for prospective clients who may catch wind of their efforts during this difficult time.
The philosophy is: “Let’s get our hands dirty together and help each other out, so we can get through this together,” Pereira said. “At the end of the day, we want our business to succeed.”
Additionally, the aspiration is to keep Houston Rallies going long after the end of the pandemic — if they can get it funded. The group is currently trying to figure out how to make this a sustainable and lasting endeavor. One idea is to get big companies to sponsor the initiative: They support small businesses, which makes them look good, and in turn the Lee Group has money to continue the campaign. It’s a win-win-win.
“Even after this coronavirus pandemic and the economy comes back up, Houston will always have a need for small businesses to thrive,” said Pereira. “We would love to have this be a campaign that goes on for years to come.”