They most Likely didn't do that for free Advertising,If they wanted they could have bought a ton of Ad space with that kind of money.:agree:
On the other hand, more advertising would just have been more banners. It's not easy to make people feel warm and fuzzy with a banner - or even a whole lot of banners.
Donating to a cause (such as this) benefit the givers in a few ways:
* short term - tax writeoff (not to be discounted in this economic climate)
* short term, mid-term - publicity
* mid-term, long-term (hopeful) - positive image makeover, general "warm fuzzies" in the viral marketplace
For people who haven't experienced problems with a company firsthand, something like this can go a long way toward making the company look like a good option.
Just as one negative incident shouldn't irrevocably damn a company, no positive incident or action should irrevocably place them on a pedastal or wipe away other considerations. Consumers still need to research a company's service levels, evaluate the company's support versus the consumer's needs / wants, make their decision based on the value they're getting for the money, and not be afraid to a) stand up for their rights if they're wronged by any company; and b) feel free to change providers if their needs aren't met.
