We know how many flag images we sell in the normal course of things, and it was clear that this additional demand was propelled by the fact that less than 18 miles away from our office thousands of people were in the most dire straits imaginable.  Recall that at that time it was unclear what the final results would be.  It was possible that even as we went about our business of selling photos, there might be trapped survivors.

We immediately sent emails to our entire staff, in the US, Canada and Luxembourg, as well as photographers involved, suggesting that we take some of our best US flag images and post them immediately on our site for free download.  The reaction throughout the company was immediate and unanimously in favor of it.

Within 45 minutes the images were posted on our site for free download, and all Sales People fielding calls from customers looking for photos of the flag informed these customers that we had them available for free.

But then another question arose that caused us grave concern.  Should we pro-actively alert our customers that we were making these free photos available?  Arguing in favor of that were two things:  1. We knew that people out there were, indeed, looking for flag images with significant urgency, and we had them, and we had them for free.  2. There were other photo agencies that were actively promoting flag images, pictures of WTC before and after-- for sale.  Don't get us wrong:  we're not faulting them for doing so, especially the editorially based agencies.  People needed these images, and these other photo agencies were providing the service they are in business to provide.  But, on the other hand, we felt that since we had decided to make these images available for free, we, in turn, would be doing our customers a service by pro-actively letting them know about it as an alternative to having to purchase images elsewhere.

And that's what gave rise to our grave concern:  Our customers are art directors, graphic designers, art buyers.  They are fun, funny, smart, creative, irreverent and they can spot a cynical PR ploy a million miles away.  Would we be perceived as engaging in such a ploy?

We considered it a significant danger and we knew that if we were so perceived, we would not blame our customers for resenting us and thinking ill of us.  Maybe that danger was so significant that we should not, in fact, pro-actively alert our customers.

But WE knew what we had in mind and what was in our hearts, and we knew our motives were honest and completely devoid of any profiteering motive.  So we decided to go with that reality, rather than being dissuaded from doing what we believed to be the right thing for fear of being misperceived.  We decided to take the chance, and sent a one line email to our customer base letting them know about this offer of free flag images.

And then we held our breath.

The result?

Within four hours people were hitting our site by the tens of thousands.  Soon that would become hundreds of thousands.  Our website is graphics intensive (in the extreme), so we have tremendous bandwidth capacity as a matter of routine and locate our web servers right at AT&T with a direct connection to the Internet backbone.  Nevertheless, demand was overwhelming, swamping our available bandwidth.  We were able to get in touch on an emergency basis with a high executive at AT&T and explained the situation.  She was enthusiastic and supportive and did what was necessary to triple our bandwidth capacity in two hours.

Then the emails started coming in by the thousands.  People who had downloaded free flag images and were writing us to express their gratitude, sometimes their surprise, always their support.  Some of them seemed to want to take the opportunity to just "talk".  They told us about their families and their feelings and their hopes.  Eventually these "feedback" emails would amount to tens of thousands.  Not one-- not one single one-- was anything but warm and genuine and brotherly.  They came from all around the world.  Newspapers and other websites began to alert their audience to the availability of these images.  They began appearing in car rear windows on the Jersey Turnpike and the San Diego Freeway, in shop windows in New York City, even at Ground Zero and, maybe best of all, hanging from the trunk of the huge Christmas tree as it was trucked into Rockefeller Center.

Our customers-- graphic designers, art directors and art buyers-- were doing all kinds of pro bono work creating brochures and announcements for relief funds and charitable organizations.  They were donating their time and talent for free, and they took the time to tell us that they appreciated being able to use our flag images so quickly and easily.  The thousands upon thousands of messages we received, some of the loveliest notes we could possibly hope for, will remain treasured by us always. 

Time has moved on and our world remains an uncertain place.  All of us go about our business, as we all must.  On occasion we've considered removing this free flag offer from our site, but each time we decide, no, let it remain for those who would like to avail themselves of it.  At Comstock, we learned many things from this effort, and one of them is that we are honored to be a member of a graphics community that so clearly consists of some of the greatest people in the world.

Henry Scanlon
Comstock Founder