MasterCard

Pioneering Crisis Response: MasterCard’s Leadership in Disaster Relief

Leadership In Action

Overview:

In January 2010, a catastrophic 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti, prompting a global outpouring of support. Amid the devastation, the American Red Cross launched one of the first text-to-donate campaigns, raising more than half a billion dollars to aid recovery. As the payment mechanism behind many of these donations, MasterCard and its competitors played a critical role, but saw backlash over interchange fees tied to charitable transactions.

During real-time social listening and community management as part of the existing social media strategy at Cohn & Wolfe in New York (now Burson), I identified an influx of negative sentiment directed at MasterCard and its competitors. Acting swiftly, I compiled a detailed report of conversations, sentiment and share of voice for MasterCard leadership. Within 48 hours, MasterCard became the first credit card company to waive interchange fees for disaster relief donations—a decision later mirrored by competitors.

This pivotal moment not only safeguarded MasterCard’s brand reputation, but also set a precedent for the company’s approach to disaster relief efforts.

Strategic Approach:

Real-time social listening and community management were at the heart of our strategy. By closely monitoring sentiment and acting decisively, we prioritized people over profits—an approach that reinforced MasterCard’s reputation as a compassionate and responsive brand.

Key Results:

  • MasterCard led the industry by waiving interchange fees within 48 hours.

  • Competitors like Visa and American Express followed suit within 24 hours, demonstrating the influence of MasterCard’s decision.

  • Established a precedent for waiving interchange fees in future disaster relief efforts.

Individual Contributions:

  • Client and crisis management during a high-pressure situation.

  • Developed and executed real-time social listening and analytics reporting.

  • Crafted clear, actionable insights for leadership to inform decision-making.

  • Managed community engagement to address sentiment and build trust.

  • Contributed to a long-term strategy that balanced business objectives with social responsibility.