3p Contributor: Gennefer Snowfield
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IndieGoGo: Cause Awareness Through Entertainment
The social web has opened the floodgates of communication, allowing users from all over the world to share knowledge, meet new people and connect with a multitude of content from breaking news to causes to movies and everything in between. Nonprofits, in particular, have met with much success harnessing the power of Twitter, Facebook and other social networks to generate awareness — and donations — for their causes, and digital entertainment, such as web series, are beginning to tap into this movement, giving fans the ability to help fund their shows. But thanks to Slava Rubin, and his service, IndieGoGo, independent filmmakers have an established turnkey solution for getting their films and documentaries increased exposure, funding and promotion.
IndieGoGo is a socially-driven platform built on the concept of crowdfunding, creating a central location where independent filmmakers can showcase their work, and fans can show their support through microdonations right on the site. And thanks to a new partnership with Snag Films, filmmakers also have a vehicle to connect viewers directly with the causes they support, giving them the ability to make their films — and a difference. In addition, IndieGoGo’s integration with social networks allows the impact of those contributions to be captured and spread virally within viewers’ various communities to spark increased awareness and donations, helping the documentaries and issues gain greater market traction to build fan bases and cause champions. Not to mention the added benefit of delivering important social and environmental topics in an emotionally resonant and compelling way through entertainment experiences that forge deep, lasting connections well after the film ends.
Tom’s of Maine: 50 States of Change
Rob Robinson helping clean-up Mtn. Agamenticus in York, Maine at Tom's of Maine Mission Day, July 2009.
Tom’s of Maine is one of those companies that’s a shining example of social responsibility done right. It’s never been about flavor-of-the-month cause marketing or flashy ad campaigns or even gimmicky product extensions like bubble-gum flavored toothpaste. It’s always been about quality products, customer service and a core mission to giving back. And they are extending that commitment through a community-driven cause marketing initiative that gives their customers an opportunity to directly help their favorite charity. Tom’s is putting up $100,000 to be evenly distributed to 5 charities across the 50 states, submitted and voted on by customers.
I particularly like this campaign because it gives exposure to not just one random company-selected charity, but hundreds of worthy organizations where the submitting users have a deep, personal connection to the cause. It also helps build the local community by giving customers relevant causes to support right in their own backyard. And with a universe of users logging on to vote, they’re also getting exposed to a world of charities in need, so Tom’s of Maine becomes the benefactor of raising consciousness overall. Even the charities who aren’t awarded the $20K grant will still receive valuable exposure among consumers through visibility on the website during the voting process. It all seems too good to be true. Where’s the catch? So, being the cause marketing sleuth that I am, I reached out to Tom’s of Maine to determine if this campaign is really as good as it seems, and my conversation with Rob Robinson, Director of Common Goods Partnerships proved that it is as authentic as it is aspirational. And 100% catch-free.
Going, Going, Green: New Film Festival Spotlights the Environment
Somewhat serendipitously, only a week after I launched my new ‘Hollywood & Green’ series focusing on socially responsible cinema and TV, film and documentaries that help connect consumers with important causes and environmental issues, the Going Green Film Festival opened its doors to eco-conscious filmmakers everywhere. The first of its kind, the Going Green Film Festival has set out to reward and recognize green filmmakers who fall into one of the following three categories:
- Green Production - Where environmentally responsible filmmaking practices were employed to lessen the carbon footprint left on the planet (with sufficient documentation of the process)
- Our Planet - Where the film’s topic covers third world issues, ecology, nature or the environment
- Hybrid/Alternative Transporation - Where the film features a hybrid vehicle,
bicycle, electric scooter or public transportation.
The Going Green Film Festival aims to spotlight those who are working to preserve our planet through entertainment and help inspire other filmmakers to adopt green practices, build greater awareness of social and environmental issues, and raise money for the Minorities in Broadcast Training Program (MIBTP),
a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization formed in 1992 to provide training opportunities to college graduates in
TV/radio news reporting, news management and film/TV production. I had an opportunity to chat with Festival Founder, Patrice Williams, to learn more about their efforts, and her thoughts on the importance of green filmmaking.
A Beef Burrito and a Side of Consciousness
There are few things more powerful than that exhilarating feeling after a great movie, or the return of your favorite TV series, or an inspiring documentary. Without realizing it, you find yourself rattling off lines, and though you’ve still yet to master the whole e=mc2 thing, you’re somehow able to quote entire scenes after just one viewing. And while the fate of teen vampires in ‘Twilight’ isn’t likely to save the planet, it demonstrates how memorable entertainment can be from an education and retention standpoint. And that is probably what Chipotle Mexican Grill was banking on when they partnered with Magnolia Pictures, Participant Media and River Road Entertainment to promote the documentary, Food, Inc.
Twittering for Tots: Child Fund International
Follow @TheChildFund to Donate Gifts to Kids Around the World
Nonprofits have had much success harnessing the power of the social web (specifically, Twitter) in generating awareness for their causes and motivating action. From Stacey Monk’s Tweetsgiving initiative to the multi-location Twestivals, and countless campaigns in between, Twitter has become a viable cause marketing channel for building communities around important social issues and causes. To tap into this viral mecca in promoting their new name, Child Fund International created an online giving program where all users have to do is follow them on Twitter to help children in need.
Green Is the New Hollywood
Hollywood isn’t the first thing you’d think of when it comes to being green. From elaborate productions that zap thousands of watts of energy to excessive on-set food trays that leave behind mountains of waste, one would guess the mecca of entertainment creates more of a drain on our natural resources than preserves them. I was on a shoot once that made Marie Antionette’s dessert table seem like a small town bake sale and lights that made me feel like I was about to be interrogated or probed by aliens. True story.
In fact, if anything, Hollywood is the pinnacle of excess, right down to the millions upon millions of pages of screenplays that get tossed in the trash on a daily basis. But Daniel Riser, founder of Greenwriter.org wants to change all that. And tackling Tinseltown is just the beginning.
Don’t Just Save a Tree, Replant a Whole Forest
A “plant-a-tree” campaign doesn’t necessarily leap to mind as the pinnacle in innovative cause marketing. In fact, when I first heard about Government Solutions Group, a company that facilitates cause-related marketing between brands and state parks, it conjured images of elementary school students filing into fields with their seedlings tucked inside paper cups for a group planting. I had no idea of the magnitude of GSG’s work and how strategically sound their programs are in authentically uniting brands with a cause that literally touches every community, every generation and just about every environmental issue you can think of from water to wildlife. Shari Boyer, CEO, took some time to expand my view on state park programs, and share her unique insights on how to effectively align your brand with a cause that’s as close as your own backyard.
Seventh Generation: Packaged Idealism
Obviously, one of the benefits of being socially and environmentally responsible today is the investment it makes in sustaining people and planet in the long term. No one represents this concept better than Seventh Generation, a company built upon the principle of preservation by considering the impact our everyday decisions will have on the next seven generations. In this spirit, Seventh Generation is the gateway for responsibility by equipping consumers with the details they need to make informed choices and eco-friendly products that help save natural resources, reduce pollution and keep toxic chemicals out of the environment.
While they develop and market a profitable branded line of non-toxic household products, their core focus is on education and shifting consumer mindset to one of giving back and living responsibly toward creating a healthier world. It is this conscious mindset that sets the tone for the company and drives all facets of their business practices and culture. And through an unwavering commitment to positive change, they have assembled a team fueled by passion, ideals and hope and pacakaged it as their gift for the children of tomorrow.
Walden University: A Degree in Doing Good?
Over the weekend, I caught a commercial for Walden University, one of the many online education institutions that’s popped over the past decade. But unlike the other universities that boast the benefits attending classes online and accelerated degree programs, Walden focuses on cultivating the social change leaders of tomorrow.
Their new positioning, “A higher degree. A higher purpose.” is designed to attract those who want to make a difference in the world, and the 60-second spot focuses on the traits of those whom embody this mindset and the changes students can make using their Walden degree.
Allison Parris: Philanthrofashionable Business
Allison Parris is not the typical company I profile in my Philanthropy in Five series. I actually read about them in a fashion magazine, and fell in love with one of their cocktail dresses. So, I fully admit that my initial interest was fueled purely by vanity. But as I dug deeper, I found that their appeal is much more than skin deep.
Their company was built on a commitment to social and environmental responsibility, and it drives every facet of their business from design through production. I think this is important ground to cover as many define for-profit philanthropy as simply donating proceeds to a charitable cause. But philanthropy encompasses so much more than just writing a check. It is a mindset and culture that permeates the company, and is one that Allison Parris exemplifies beautifully. Unlike many companies whose internal practices are in direct opposition to their philanthropic endeavors, Allison Parris serves up sustainable style that proves corporate responsibility is a must-have piece in a company’s wardrobe.
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