This is America where money can justify any crime, wash away any guilt, sanitize any reputation and rationalize any bad idea.
You Can Do Better than This
While many in the cause sector might focus their outrage or contempt on KFC for this, the same scrutiny needs to be put on Susan G. Komen for the Cure. How much is that $8.5 million worth to the cause, knowing the health damage these pink buckets will cause?
A new online campaign from SAMU SOCIAL, the organization for helping the homeless.
3 out of 4 people think that if a homeless person can’t get off the street, it’s his fault. Probably because they’ve never experienced the street themselves.
With Samu Social, the most important emergency service for the homeless, agency Publicis Conseil created a 24 hr film reconstructing an entire day in the life of a homeless person. Struggling to get food, to keep clean, to sleep, to survive.
The film was shot by homeless themselves. Using camera glasses they let us see life through their eyes.
After virtual escaping the street visitors are ask to donate.
A good cause, advertising people and cycling. I love them all. So do the Red Pencils. It is a initiative from San Francisco-based freelance art director Keith Gibson.
In June, twenty-one committed Red Pencil riders will embark on a 7-day, 545-mile bicycle journey to Los Angeles.
They ride to help rid the world of the scourge of AIDS. They ride for all those we’ve lost, and all who will be lost before a cure is found. They ride because while advertising gets a bad rap, in truth the industry is filled with compassionate, caring people who really want to give back and do some good in the world. Red Pencils was formed to channel those energies. And they ride because they have nice bikes, like to go fast, and look really good in spandex.
The model here is duty. How much do I owe? How much meets my obligation? What is my fair share? tithing and taxes have that shape. What does it take to make a difference for the causes I care about? How much can I afford? Those are another way of addressing how much is enough.
What if someone bottled the water that millions in developing countries drink every day and offered it on the streets of New York?
For just a buck, during World Water Week (March 22-29), New Yorkers in the Union Square Park area were able to enjoy the benefits of DIRTY WATER. It was available in a wide variety of choices like MALARIA, CHOLERA or even TYPHOID DIRTY WATER — and currently has 900 million consumers. Over 4,200 children die of water related diseases every day and millions of people around the world lack access to clean water resources.
New Yorkers were startled to find YELLOW FEVER or HEPATITIS DIRTY WATER bottles. They looked at the vending machine in disgust. Though no one drank Dirty Water,many did donate to the cause. This idea of “selling” dirty water was inspired by UNICEF’s promise that every dollar donated would provide safe drinking water to 40 children for a day.
This eye-opening DIRTY WATER initiative from Casanova Pendrill New York, goes beyond collecting funds for UNICEF in a unique active street effort. The goal was to shock the media and the public with this alarming issue.
The campaign is currently active since people can continue donating online at tapproject.org or via text message. Text TAP or AGUA to UNICEF (864233) to make a $5 donation.
This effort is part of a much bigger pro-bono Spanish/English campaign that Casanova Pendrill executed within UNICEF´s Tapproject.org. This is first time the campaign expands to Multicultural. Casanova has managed to secure half a million dollars in donated media and developed TV spots, Radio, Outdoor, web banners and outdoor events.
“Dirty Water© is not an actual product, but a real problem for millions of children around the world.”
This virtual reality campaign is made for Pathways to Housing (USA). The organisation was founded by Dr. Sam Tsemberis in 1992, and is widely credited as being the originator of the Housing First model of addressing homelessness among people with psychiatric disabilities.
The video was shot in New York City. Pedestrians encounter a life-size digital projection of a homeless man, shivering as he sleeps on the street. When passing by a message pops up, asking people to move the virtual person via text message. When they do, another video activate projecting a door on the wall as it is a new home for the man. The person who sent the text message receives a message back asking if they would like to make a $5 donation that would be added to their cellphone bill.
More about the shooting at the Pathways to Housing Facebook Fan Page.
A great UK based project called Coalition of the Willing. It is an animated film about an online war against global warming in a post-Copenhagen world. Through analyses of swarm activity and social revolution, ‘Coalition of the Willing’ makes a compelling case for the new online activism and explains how to bring the fight against global warming to the people.
The man behind the film is philosopher/activist Tim Rayner. The film is made by a network of 20 collaborating artists and film-makers from around the world.
It started at the beginning of February. The film will be released in 6 staggered ‘waves’ approximately 2 weeks apart, with 4-5 film sections uploaded in each wave.
The amazing secret of how your idea can WIN the Pepsi - Refresh Everything contest by Dan Morrison CEO Citizen Effect
“Purely financial capitalism has perverted the logic of capitalism. Financial capitalism is a system of irresponsibility and … is amoral. It is a system where the logic of the market excuses everything… Either we re-found capitalism or we destroy it,” - Nicholas Sarkozy, French President
There’s a huge challenge in melding consumers’ causes with the brand’s promise; if it doesn’t work, there’s a risk the efforts could become white noise. Moreover, the sheer number of programs makes them less distinctive for brands seeking a point of differentiation now that cause marketing has become expected by consumers.
Vending machines in subways usually offer you nothing else but crap. During February the 3 million daily passengers of the São Paulo subway were offered something good for a change. On one row of different vending machines in the city pictures of children holding cards of $ 1.00, $ 2.00 and $ 5.00 were placed. The main title explains: “With your help we can get these children of the streets”.
The campaign is developed by Giovanni+DraftFcb in partnership with 24x7 Cultural to raise funds for Fundação Abrinq; a nonprofit institution that aims at raising awareness about issues related to the rights of children and adolescents, promoting human rights and citizenship.
I like this campaign because the vending machines not only turn out to be great selling points for ‘Good’, resulting in donations, but the location of the vending machines play an important part in the story being told. Guerilla marketing is not always used in the right way. Giovanni+DraftFcb, however, did a great job picking the right medium and using this perfect for this campaign.
A new charity is persuading Generation Next to give something back. What’s their secret?
