Best of the Social Platforms in 2010

It’s no surprise that social media has been a game changer for cause marketing in recent years.  There are thousands of causes, non-profits, marketers and individuals, that have used various platforms to get conversations started.  Here's a round up of a few of my winners this year in the HIV/AIDS category. 

Twitter

In collaboration with (RED) Twitter encouraged users to incorporate hashtags such as #red, #worldaidsday and #hiv.  Using these hashtags changed the color of the text of users’s tweets to red. Half a million members chose to participate in a single day, not only encouraging conversation, but creating visual documentation of participation.  

Honorable  Mention:

The Digital Life Sacrifice Campaign,

Led by Alicia Keys, several celebrities, including Lady Gaga, Kim Kardashian and Justin Timberlake, pledged to silence themselves on all social media outlets (primarily Twitter) until $1 million had been raised for the Keep A Child Alive fund. 

No matter how self absorbed or narcissistic this campaign may have seemed, the bottom line is that it got a lot of attention, raised a substantial amount of money and started conversations on a monumental scale.  The reason it doesn’t top my list, however, is because most of the conversation that was generated revolved around the individual celebrities and their Twitter accounts, and not about HIV/AIDS as a global epidemic.  #nicetry.

Foursquare

Badges!

In 2010 for the first time, Foursquare teamed up with various organizations to offer badges to users who were involved in the HIV/AIDS conversation. 

“GYT: Get Yourself Tested Campaign”:  Collaborating with MTV, Foursquare awarded a badge to members who “checked in” for an STD test during the month of September.  The campaign encouraged open communication regarding sexual activity and STDs. 

“Where are We on World AIDS Day?”

On World Aids Day Foursquare responded by offering members the ability to find local HIV services, events and testing centers.  They also offered a limited-offer badge for users who checked in and mentioned #turnred at any location.  The effort was in collaboration with (RED), in their attemp to “Turn the World Red”.  

 

Flickr

“Facing Aids” Campaign

Together with Aids.gov, Flickr asked users to print a PDF inscribed with the words “Facing Aids”, and an additional phrase of their choosing, and incorporate it in a photograph to share with the world. 

Facebook

With Facebook being the most visited website in the United States in 2010, it would be silly for cause marketers not to tap into the rich resource.  However, I had a hard time pegging down one single campaign that had utilized Facebook better than all the rest.  I had to give this one to Project (RED) as a whole.  In addition to using Facebook as the primary platform to raise awareness about the project, (RED) has had a substantial presence on the social media website, boasting 671,076 (as of 12/31/10).  The organization has launched several campaigns via Facebook, including The Lazarus Effect documentary (in conjuction with HBO), their Shop(RED) products, the (RED)Nights concert series, and their Turn(RED) profile picture campaign.   (RED) is also my overall winner in terms of social media usage.  The organization has promoted its message and effectively utilized several platforms including Twitter, Foursquare and Youtube.  

The participation has been incredible this year.  Social media has driven conversation, raised awareness, generated funding and increased participation like never before. 

Hopefully in the upcoming months we’ll see more campaigns that don’t only pick up steam on December 1^st, but year round.  Can’t wait to see what 2011 brings! 

UNAIDS: A Year in Review

Michel Sidibe, Executive Director of UNAIDS.  Click here for full report.

In case you don't have time to read the 364 pages of the UNAIDS 2010 Global Report, check out the article posted on their blog today; "UNAIDS- A year in review".  Some of my highlights from the highlight:

The Good:

• The rate of new HIV infections has been reduced by nearly 20% in the past 10 years

• AIDS related deaths have been reduced by nearly 20% in the last five years 

• Globally, the total number of people living with HIV has stabilized.

The Bad:

• 2010 was the first year resources for the AIDS response did not increase, with donor disbursements lower in 2009 than in 2008.

• Demand for antiretroviral treatment still heavily outweighs the supply and availability of the drugs

The Noteworthy:

• 2010 has been marked with several major scientific developments, including the CAPRISA study, the IPREX study and the "Berlin Patient" case (see video). 

• The UNAIDS board adopted the "UNAIDS strategy 2011–2015" with the intent to revolutionize HIV prevention, catalyse the next phase of treatment, care and support, and advance human rights and gender equality.

See the detailed timeline, for the UNAIDS Year in Review.

I Am Because We Are

A very dear (and very smart) friend recently recommended that I watch “I Am Because We Are”, the documentary produced and written by Madonna about HIV/AIDS and the crippling effects that the epidemic has had on Malawi.  I have to admit I had heard a lot about this film, but I was hesitant to watch it because I didn’t know whether I would be able to withstand an hour and a half of Madonna’s semi-British accent.  Luckily, however, narration was kept to a minimum and it was easy to see why this film has been so well received. The documentary does more than simply highlight the effects of poverty and the unrelenting spread of HIV/AIDS; it challenges the audience to actually do something to help.  The information is smart, relevant and is really well presented.  It’s a deep dive into the vicious cycle of poverty, sickness, violence, the lack of education and deep seeded traditional customs.  

 The problems that people are facing on the other side of the world are not exclusively theirs. They are ours- and we cannot continue to accept and ignore such rampant suffering.  I truly believe that it is our responsibility to help people who may not be able to help themselves, whether that means through aid and support, or simply taking the time to actually learn about what is happening around the world. 

“We are all children of the world, and we are all responsible for one another.”  

-I Am Because We Are.  

Some Cholera with Your Water?

Sometimes I have to stray from my usual topics to post things that I find particularly compelling, intriguing and/or innovative. UNICEF's new Dirty Water campaign was something that recently caught my eye, and I felt I had to share it. Growing up in Kenya allowed me to be a first hand witness to the global water crisis, and it’s a cause that I feel particularly passionate about. While many of us in the US take for granted the clean water that flows out of our faucets, one billion people around the world are without access to clean water, and thousands die daily due to water-related diseases.

Check out what UNICEF did to educate people in America about the realities of dirty water and the resulting waterborne diseases.

Not all Cause Marketing Advertising Needs to Look the Same!

Check out this cool video from the Global Fund's 'Born HIV Free campaign.  Very unique, complete with Amy Weinhouse music! Great job design team at Les Bonzoms.  What do you think?

What Cause Related Marketers Can Learn from 1998

Social marketing as a formal discipline was ‘born’ in the 1970s and was only implemented by the health committee in the late 80’s. About a decade later “Social Marketing: An effective tool in the global response to HIV/AIDS” was released by the United Nations. It was written when social marketing as a practice was not yet established, and organizations were tasked with convincing donors and marketers that social marketing programmes were effective tools in combating epidemics and bringing awareness to various causes. Because of this, the document was written from a persuasive stand point; championing the role of social marketing, providing rationale and case studies, and addressing concerns such as cost, competitiveness and sustainability. Today, the effectiveness of social marketing is no longer debatable, the issue we face now, however, is how to do it well. Although this document is outdated and not as relevant as it was in 1998, there are still a lot of significant learnings that we can take from it. I took the time to peruse the UNAIDS release and highlight some of the points that social marketers today can take away from it. It is also noteworthy to mention that the release dealt primarily with Condom Social Marketing (CSM), so many of the examples and cases focus heavily on that topic.

 1. Changing Perceptions and Behaviors, not just Conversations
Up until the mid-80s CSM was not widely used as an effective tool in combating the spread of HIV/AIDS. However, by 1996, social marketing programmes distributed more than 783 million condoms. But it wasn’t as simple as handing out condoms to whoever would take them. These organizations were faced with the task of changing the conversation about condoms within many cultures. Talking about sex was (and in many places still is) a taboo subject, and buying condoms could be seen as promiscuous or embarrassing, especially if one was forced to buy them at a chemist or clinic. Through social marketing and donor funding however, organizations were able to implement competitive profit margins, brand promotions, attractive packaging and alternative distribution channels to make condoms as widely available and accepted as cigarettes, sodas and light bulbs. Other organizations such as the Botswana Social Marketing Programme developed the Tsa Banana project that created outlets geared towards youth. These outlets provided a relaxed, non-judgmental environment where young people could recieve condoms as well as advice. Today, social marketers need to remember that messages cannot simply be about awareness, but must also focus on messages and tactics that change ingrained and deep-rooted cultural behaviors.

2. Element of Surprise: Non-Traditional Tactics
Although the document does not specifically mention ‘non-traditional’ advertising techniques as a focal point, many of the case studies include guerilla marketing tactics as supplementary communications methods. Programmes in India, Uganda and Cambodia incorporated the use of street magicians, talk shows and puppet shows to communicate HIV/AIDS awareness messages. These tactics were not only innovative, but effective, raising awareness by 80% in some target groups.
Today, non-traditional advertising techniques are equally as important as print and television ads within a campaign. However, my own humble opinion is that the best social marketing efforts are those that surprise the audience and literally ‘wake up’ society, focusing primarily on non-traditional, guerilla tactics. The Truth street campaigns are a great example of this, utilizing hyperbolic statements and actions to educate the public about tobacco related deaths and illnesses. As saturated with messages as our society already is, it is becoming increasingly important to include elements of surprise and innovation whenever possible. One sided communication messages simply no longer work. Which leads me to the next point.

3. Engagement
“Engaging Consumers” is a highly used (and often misused) catch phrase that gets thrown around in advertising agency conference rooms on a regular basis. Although it is an extremely hackneyed phrase, the effectiveness of user engagement done right, is not over exaggerated. Many of the strategies mentioned in the release focused heavily on engaging communication methods, including what we now refer to as ‘user generated content’. HIV awareness efforts such as a radio show that answers questions from listeners, and booklets for teenagers illustrated and designed by teenagers, are forms of engagement that were effective when this release was written more than a decade ago. Today, social marketers are challenged with the opportunity to engage larger audiences, across an increasing number of platforms, using more creative techniques.

A lot has changed since this release was written twelve years ago. Technology has advanced tremendously, the world is becoming smaller, and HIV/AIDS education is an increasingly accepted and recognized necessity. However, many of the issues that cause marketers and organizations faced in 1998 are still very relevant today. Low literacy rates, lack of educational facilities, cultural and religious barriers, corrupt government figures and the lack of adequate infrastructures in many parts of the world, are very real obstacles that we still face today. However, I stand by my belief that through the use of technological advances, innovative and engaging problem solving techniques and solid communication and marketing strategies, it is possible to make the world a better place through advertising and marketing.

The Power of Soccer

As promised, I’ve taken a break from watching the exciting World Cup matches to see what’s going on in the world of social marketing. There are a lot of interesting campaigns being launched, as well as some controversial protests that have been getting a significant amount of press attention. For now, however, I’ll focus on some of the positive events that have been taking place.

Grassroots Soccer is an organization established by former professional football players, that provides HIV information and education techniques to African soccer stars, coaches teachers and role models around the continent. The program provides these community leaders with the curriculums and skills necessary to pass along the information to youth. The organization has been a huge success and has received global recognition for its efforts against the HIV epidemic.

For the 2010 World Cup GRS has teamed up with Castrol to roll out the Castrol Skillz Holiday Programme that 4,500 children across South Africa will participate in. The initiative is a four week long holiday camp that provides HIV education, life skills and of course, intensive soccer training. It is particularly interesting to see how the program uses analogies and correlations between HIV transmission and the game of football to help educate the children about the disease and how to make decisions in life regarding their own protection and health.

For more information about this amazing organization, as well as the Castrol Skillz Holiday Program, check out www.grassrootsoccer.org/

Now back to the games!

The Cup, Condoms and Conversations

Being an avid football fan (or soccer as some prefer), my mind has recently been filled with thoughts of the upcoming World Cup taking place in beautiful South Africa this summer. The tournament, which is set to kick off on June 11^th, will draw thousands of visitors from around the world, spurring what the government hopes will be an evident economic boost. South Africa currently has about 4 million people unemployed, and hosting the games (which has cost the country about $4.6 billion in preparation) should lower that number significantly. Unfortunately, a high unemployment rate is not the only disturbing statistic. With an adult infection rate of about 18%, the nation is home to the greatest number of people living with HIV. The epidemic is fueled by unprotected sex, rampant prostitution and mother to child transmissions, all factors that President Zuma and the government seem to be concerned with fighting. Although HIV rates have stabilized in the last few years South Africa still has a long way to go in the battle against the disease.

So what does the World Cup have to do with the epidemic? Health care experts are concerned that the influx of tourists (a predicted 450,000 people) as well as prostitutes (an estimated 40,000) into the nation could cause a spike in HIV transmission. The South African government has responded to this concern by requesting one billion condoms from donor nations. Already the UK has donated and shipped 42 million condoms.In addition to the call for condoms, FIFA and its local organizing committee have urged HIV/AIDS organizations to push awareness messages before and during games.

With millions of people attending and billions of people around the world tuning in to watch the games, the World Cup lends itself as the perfect platform to raise awareness for South Africa’s severe HIV/AIDS crisis. There are several efforts and interesting programs that I would urge you to take a look at including Football for Hope and Football for an HIV-free Generation.

It will be interesting to see how organizations leverage the high viewership during the World Cup. Updates to come post World Cup.

The Danger of a Single Story

A professor from school recently sent me a TED talk from Chimamanda Adichie, and I felt compelled to share it. It is interesting (and scary) to think about the dangers of viewing people, nations and cultures from one stereotypical viewpoint. Adichie talks about an experience she had when she first moved to the US and her roommate was surprised to find that she spoke English, listened to American music and knew how to use kitchen appliances. I too am not a stranger to such encounters, having gotten asked several times why “If you are from Africa, why do you talk so ‘white’?” Granted, such viewpoints sometimes come from a place of pure ignorance, however, many westerners are simply not exposed to enough differing stories about Africa, or about the issues that the continent tackles. Why is this? In a time where about 75% of the US population has access to the internet, a source of abundant public data and resources, I would hate to put all the blame on main stream media and television, although it seems hard not to. Television does seem like an easy way to get accurate news from around the world, however, it is usually just one storyline, told from one perspective. It is important to conduct more of your own research and formulate your own opinions, thereby empowering you to create your own stories.

The reason I wanted to post this was because I have grown increasingly concerned with the way people who are suffering from HIV/AIDS are portrayed in the media. A simple Google Image Search for “people with aids” explains my point further. The typical stereotype for an HIV/AIDS victim is a poor, emaciated, African; someone that we would never meet or be able to relate to. Although it is extremely important to educate people on the dangers of unprotected sex and HIV/AIDS, it is just as important to tell the story of people with HIV/AIDS as human beings. These are people with lives, families and jobs; they are people that we sit next to on the bus, go to the gym with and buy our groceries from. This is a story that has not been told enough and I encourage everyone to take another look at it. Do not be scared to listen to several stories and opinions, and eventually, formulate your own opinions and tell your own stories.