Social Marketing and HIV/AIDS

World AIDS Day 2011

2011-12-01T07:44:00.000-08:00

Today is World Aids Day. In 1987 the Names Project Foundation started the initiative to create a quilt to remember loved ones who had fallen victim to AIDS, heighten awareness about the (then) new illness and inspire action in people. The quilt weighed 54 tons and was composed of more than 47,000 panels dedicated to more than 90,000 individuals around the world. Today that quilt is a representation of how far we have come in this fight. But its not over. The digital quilt initiative, put into action with the help of the ad agency I work for, is a reminder that there is so much more work to be done, but that there are always little ways that you as an individual can become part of a global movement. Show your love and support and become a part of something big today. Show compassion, remember with love, and do not judge. ♥

Below is an image of the piece of the quilt I made this morning. Make your own at http://www.2015quilt.com/

The original AIDS memorial quilt in Washington DC in 1987.

How Non-Profits Are Using Social Media [INFOGRAPHIC]

2011-10-19T09:05:00.000-07:00

Extremely insightful infograph I happened upon today and thought I'd share! This was initiated by Craigslist founder Craig Newmark, when he decided he wanted to find out which Non Profits used social media in the most effective manner. Causes gain traction through conversations, and now, more than ever, those conversations are taking place via online platforms. Its important to understand how to best utilize social media, when to use it and what specific platforms are the most appropriate to use in order to maximize the effect of of your efforts. Best of all, most of it is free!

How Non-Profits Are Using Social Media [INFOGRAPHIC]

The Power Antiretroviral Drugs

2011-04-18T09:51:00.000-07:00

Wow. I stumbled upon this recently and was literally moved to tears. Its beautiful work done by The Topsy Foundation, it was also a winner for TED's "Ads Worth Spreading" contest.

The message of ARVs is definitely an important one. But more needs to be done in order to make these life saving drugs more accessible and more importantly, affordable to people around the world.

The Girl Effect

2011-03-07T09:59:00.000-08:00

As if Wieden + Kennedy doesn't do enough amazing work....

Here's work from the Nike Foundation called the "Girl Effect".

This is beautiful advertising. People don't feel harassed by it, in fact, they're compelled to share it. Cudos to W+K and Nike.

Best of the Social Platforms in 2010

2010-12-31T11:57:00.000-08:00

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

2010-12-21T10:44:00.000-08:00

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

2010-12-11T13:36:00.000-08:00

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?

2010-10-04T19:22:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-09-12T21:36:00.000-07:00

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

2010-07-27T14:28:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-18T14:17:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-22T19:16:00.000-07:00

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

2010-01-31T08:49:00.000-08:00

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.

Hans Rosling on HIV: New facts and stunning data visuals

2009-06-24T12:19:00.000-07:00

Hans Rosling reinforces the idea of not to viewing Africa and the HIV/AIDS epidemic as one simplistic entity. I have previously discussed various reasons and theories as to why infection rates are so much higher in Africa than any other continent. Rosling disputes a few theories as well as puts forth a few of his own. According to Rosling, its wrong (and not ‘clever’) to view Africa as ‘One Africa’ in regards to the endemic. Check out this compelling video with very interesting and enlightening data visuals. Its both educational, and thought provoking.

Thanks Mr. Vyas for sharing this video with me!

UPDATE: The disturbing "Virgin Myth"

2009-06-08T14:29:00.000-07:00

My last blog post talked about some of the reasons that
the HIV and AIDS rates in Africa surpass those of other continents by alarming amounts. One of the points I discussed was the fact that Africa is faced with the challenge of overcoming several myths and beliefs concerning HIV/AIDS. A recent article on CNN.com concerned itself with a particularly abominable and shocking myth; namely, the idea that by having sex with a young virgin, one will be cured of the disease. Betty Makoni, a rape survivor, told CNN of her personal struggle, and what she has done to help fellow victims, and prevent other girls from going through what she did. I urge you all to take a look at the article, as well as Makoni’s Girl Child Network program. Betty Makoni (above)

Why HIV/AIDS is more prevalent in Africa

2009-05-20T10:50:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine recently asked me why HIV/AIDS is so much more prevalent in Africa than anywhere else in the world. Seeing that this topic is something I am somewhat knowledgeable about, I thought the question would be relatively easy to answer. However, after several minutes of roundabout answers and ‘maybes’ and ‘I thinks’, I realized that I really did not have a concrete response to her question. There are, however, several factors that account for Africa’s high infection rate, so I decided to summarize a few of them briefly.

The first, and most common reason, is the high rate of poverty and economic disparity. Sub-Saharan Africa is currently home to over ¾ of the world’s ‘ultra poor’ people (just over 121 million individuals), and is seeing very little progress in terms of reducing the proportion of those suffering from severe destitute circumstances. Although HIV/AIDS affects both the poor and rich, it is a known reality that those affected by poverty, are more readily affected by the epidemic. There are several reasons for this, the first and most significant, being that poverty offers fewer defenses against the disease. By defenses, I am referring to medical defenses, educational defenses and financial defenses. As the lack of these defenses increases, the HIV/AIDS infection increases, in turn forcing more of the population towards poverty. The result is a perpetuating cycle of the epidemic leading to poverty, and vice versa.

This leads me to another bi-causal relationship; the one between education and HIV. I will not spend too much time on this one, because the correlation between a lack of education and an increased HIV/AIDS rate, is an obvious one. The epidemic, unfortunately, has a crippling effect on Africa’s infrastructure, particularly the education system. Education plays a vital role on both HIV/AIDS awareness as well as support for those affected by the illness. As th
e endemic worsens, a toll is taken on education systems as they lose teachers, faculty, staff and students. In terms of general HIV awareness and education, there has been a significant effort to spread the knowledge of the illness throughout the continent, however, due to a lack of infrastructure, funding and poor communication paths, there are still countless communities and individuals who do not fully understand the illness, how it is spread, prevention methods and treatment.
Also concerning education and awareness, Africa also struggles with the added challenge of overcoming traditional and cultural beliefs regarding HIV/AIDS (as I explore this cause, keep in mind that this is something that affects primarily rural parts of the continent, much more than urban and developed communities). Traditional beliefs have long impeded not only the process of eradicating the epidemic, but also the process of enlightening educationally unwilling parties. There have been several psychological studies and surveys that have recently explored the relationship between people’s cultural views and prevention efforts. One study published by the University of Connecticut and the Human Sciences Research Council in South Africa, was particularly informative. It found that about 34% of residents in Cape Town, South Africa (a country with the most HIV/AIDS deaths in the world), either firmly believed, or believed there was a possibility, that the disease is caused by spirits or some form of supernatural forces.

These misunderstandings are not only about the causes of HIV/AIDS. Many communities and individuals are misinformed as to how the disease is spread, and are also plagued with falsities in regards to people living with HIV/AIDS; beliefs that are spurred by deep-seated traditional and cultural understandings. There are several stigmatizing beliefs concerning HIV/AIDS sufferers, for example, that such individuals are the victims of witchcraft, voodoo, curses etc., or that they are involved in culturally unacceptable homosexual activities. With such negative stigmas, people are deterred from getting themselves tested, fearing the stigmas that are attached to the disease, much more than the illness itself. In fact, 44% of surveyed individuals expressed that these stigmas influence their decisions to seek HIV antibody testing. This, of course, increases infection rates, as people who are unaware of their status, are engaging in unprotected sex and are unknowingly spreading the virus at disturbing rates. However, as widespread and popular as these traditional beliefs may be, I firmly believe that it is not a specific issue about traditional and cultural convictions, however, it is a general issue regarding the misinformation of HIV/AIDS and its facts and details as a whole. It is an issue of broad-spectrum education and the spread of accurate HIV awareness throughout all levels of society and geographic localities.

These issues are certainly not all-encompassing, in terms of why Africa suffers from a far greater infection rate than any other continent, however they provide a basic explanation of some of the root causes. The high rate of prostitution, polygamy and promiscuity, sexual violence and rapid urbanization and mobilization also play a major role on high infection rates and the spread of the epidemic. I am well aware that each of these examples can be further broken down and dissected into hundreds of detailed, separate entities, however, I do not have the knowledge, expertise or time to do so. This is merely a basic exploration into a few possibilities and patterns. For more details, click on the hyperlinks throughout this blog entry for links to detailed studies and reports.

As always, feel free to comment or provide me with feedback, because TALK AIDS!

An Analysis of Corporate Social Responsibility

2009-04-22T20:33:00.000-07:00

“In almost any gift-giving situation, there is some expectation of return, whether is it a tax deduction, a named building, or an enhanced reputation. That’s why anonymous gift giving is so rare. Giving always occurs within a social context that makes a gift reciprocal in nature. Perhaps corporations that give with some expectation of return are only being more strategic and explicit than predecessors who gave with equal expectations but said less about it - or who gave without planning. For a gift to be genuinely altruistic in nature, that is, for it to demonstrate other-centered love, it must have benefit to the recipient as its primary motive and purpose, but not necessarily its only motivation or purpose. Therefore, strategic or “smart” giving may be regarded as ethical.”

from: Media Ethics: Cases and Moral Reasoning. Christians, Clifford. 2001.

My Response.....enjoy:)

For decades, various corporations in the United States have used gift giving as a form of social marketing. Most organizations realize that when done correctly, giving back to the community or to a cause will yield positive results in terms of increased business, increased awareness and ultimately, an increase in profit and market share. In fact, studies show that organizations that practice some form of social marketing or social good, almost always do better than their competitors who do not participate in such practices. The passage in question revolves around the idea of gift giving and in what context or situation it can be considered ethical. According to Clifford Christians, “smart” or strategic gift giving may be regarded as ethical because its primary motive is to benefit the recipient, however, it is not the only motive. I agree with Christians’ analyses that those organizations that say they are purely giving just to give, are less ethical, especially when that is not the truth. To be truly philanthropic, a corporation should be open and honest about its intentions, those that are selfless and selfish. Moreover, companies that are open about their intentions are more likely to do better than those who are not. Consumers can easily spot spurious attempts at social marketing and will easily see through the feigned good-will.

Home Depot is an example of an organization that uses strategic giving in an ethical manor. The organization donates materials and volunteers manpower to the building and rebuilding of affordable homes to families in need. They also give back to the communities that their associates and employees live in. Although such acts are clearly beneficial to those who are receiving the aid, Home Depot is benefiting as well. By helping the local communities, Home Depot is establishing valuable and lasting relationships. Families and individuals who receive aid become patrons of the organization as well as advocates.

Exxon/Mobile demonstrates gift giving as well, however, strategically it is not on point and does not make a connection to the consumer as efficiently as Home Depot’s approach. Exxon/Mobile spends money to protect tigers as their logo (sometimes) features a tiger. This attempt at philanthropy comes off as completely phony and unauthentic. Besides having a tiger as a logo, Exxon/Mobile and their product have absolutely nothing to do with tigers, or any animals for that matter. In fact, Exxon has been accused several times for destroying the environment and violating human rights. With a history like that, it seems like hypocrisy, as well as a futile attempt to do damage control on their already tainted image. This would definitely be an unethical and counterproductive attempt at social marketing.

Finally, Microsoft is an example of an organization that is giving back to the community in a strategic manner; benefiting both the organization and those receiving the aid. Microsoft focuses its corporate social efforts on providing software, computers, training, business opportunities and other technological assistance to those living in areas of the world that would not normally have access to such things. Because Microsoft deals with technology, it makes sense for them to donate things that have to do with their industry, to people in need. It also benefits Microsoft as an organization because they are not only building awareness, they are spreading their product to areas that are not familiar with the brand wars that surround the computer industry. They are, essentially, tapping into and claiming, untouched market share.

In conclusion, it is not only how companies and organizations are gift giving, it is often what and by whom the aid is being received. If companies want to be perceived as genuine and authentic, socially responsible corporations, they must not only stay on strategy with their product or service, they must also have a genuine interest in the people they are giving to. Companies should also make their intentions clear about what they plan to gain from their philanthropy. If they do not do this, consumers will not simply take their word for it and buy their product. Authenticity, honesty and a genuine concern for the cause, are the key elements in corporate philanthropy and if used correctly, are the elements which will yield the most positive results for the organization and the beneficiaries.

God Grew Tired of Us

2009-03-26T12:49:00.000-07:00

I finally got the chance to watch the National Geographic documentary God Grew Tired of Us. I strongly urge everyone to watch this beautiful, authentic and touching story about the lost boys of Sudan. The documentary revolves around the lives of four Dinka men who grew up in war-torn Sudan, but managed to escape life in a refugee camp and move to the United States. They had never experienced running water, electricity or even mattresses. I don’t want to spoil the story for those of you who have not yet watched it, but I did want to stress the incredible inspirational impact that this movie had on me. It was humbling to watch these men learn how to use a refrigerator, experience a grocery store, and deal with everyday struggles of adapting to a completely new culture, all the while focusing on their families back in Sudan. Some of these men worked three jobs at a time and sent every penny they earned back home, while running on less than three hours of sleep. They struggled to fit into the strange American way of life, but they didn’t complain once, keeping the image of their friends and families battling famine and disease, close at heart. This movie was a beautifully executed example of how one can publicize a struggle that seems so distant and alien, and make it real to those of us living comfortable and safe lives. The story of the lost boys exemplified true cultural exchange. They were experiencing their new lives in America, while telling the story of their countries struggle to those they came in contact with. Well executed documentaries, that really convey the plight of others, without fulfilling some form of self-interest are often hard to come by. It is sad to hear how many people, including my peers are not aware of the humanitarian catastrophe and genocide that is the struggle of Darfur. I urge you all to watch this documentary and tell your friends about it. Sometimes it’s easier and more valuable to learn from a documentary or from someone’s personal story, than it is to read the news. Take the time to think about that for a moment…

“The way I see it there are so many ways to help people…It seems like there is no answer, but the answer for it is there. If you had good leaders in Africa, they would help the people. But they don’t know how to treat people. They think of their own and they neglect others. It is a shame to have people that don’t take care of their own people”. –Daniel Pach, Lost Boy

Twestival

2009-03-01T16:28:00.000-08:00

For the last few weeks I’ve been trying to find some truly innovative and grassroots social media uses, that promote or benefit a charity in some way. I’ve been looking for something that is actually benefiting others on a non-organizational scale, which regular online users have come up with themselves. Of course there are numerous Facebook groups and causes that people join, which pledge to donate thousands of dollars to an arbitrary, faceless and often unidentifiable charity. However I can’t help but wonder if donations are actually ever made, or if the money ever lands in the correct hands. Often times many of these Facebook groups that are formed in the name of aid, come off as a ploy to simply get as many people as possible to join a group; almost as a form of bragging rights. I was beginning to think that there really weren’t a lot of well thought out fund-raising ideas that utilized social networks well, until a friend ‘tweeted’ an interesting link to me. I suppose I haven’t really been looking in the right places for great ideas, but this one is by far the most interesting and contemporary example of a social medium creating social change. Twestival, which was created solely by volunteers on Twitter, has brought together thousands of people from the online community, inviting them to support a clean water projects in Africa. Over a short period of time, using only twitter, hundreds of strangers organized events in over 200 cities to get people to come together for an evening of fun and fundraising. The idea was a success and has so far raised over $250,000 dollars. I can’t comment on the logistics of each of the events, but the fact that this was a world wide function organized in a matter of days is remarkable. The website backs up its efforts with information about the water crisis in Africa and what the money will be used for. Personally, I think it is amazing that a social medium where most of the people connecting do not even know each other in the ‘real world’, was utilized for something very real. I hope that we will see more of this in the future both on Twitter and Facebook. As always, I appreciate any feedback or comments, and would love to hear about any other innovative ideas and success stories!

Cell Phones in Africa: A growing phenomenon with numerous possibilities

2009-02-22T13:44:00.000-08:00

I recently saw a very interesting lecture (online) by Dr. Joel Selanikio, pediatrician and co-founder of Datadyne, a non-profit that works on improving the quality and quantity of public health data. Although he focuses his efforts primarily on vaccination issues, this particular lecture concerned the growing opportunities regarding cell phones and computers in the developing world, particularly Africa. Probably the most memorable and consequential statistics that Selanikio brought to light pertained to the remarkable growth rate of cell phone adoption in Africa and around the world. In the year 2000, only 20% of the world’s population was in range of cell phone network. Compare that to 80% of the world in 2008. This increase is particularly noticeable in Africa. The reason that this is so remarkable is because the people who are buying these cell phones at alarming rates, are among the poorest people in the world. The once widely accepted belief that cell-phones were only for top tier individuals in society, no longer holds true. If people find something extremely useful, they will do whatever it takes to buy it. There are several reasons that Africans are adopting cell-phones at a higher rate than any other continent. Of course, there is the obvious fact that there is more room for growth, allowing for a higher adoption rate. This room for growth combined with the fact that cell phones are cheaper than landlines, are not government monopolized and neither good credit nor a permanent address is needed in order to purchase one, allows for not only city dwellers to purchase cell phones, but more importantly, rural communities all over Africa. As Selanikio points out in his lecture, this cell phone growth is in no way aided by UNAIDS efforts or a World Bank project, this is simply regular people buying cell phones through means of their own.

So why does all this matter? This phenomenon, or revolution, should really concern anyone who is interested in public health, or the dissemination of any kind of information. People in the western world, particularly marketers and public health practitioners, have often wondered, “What could we do if everyone in the world had a computer like ours?” What we should be wondering, however, is “What can we do with the computers that everyone already has?” Cell phones are essentially little computers that 80% of the world now has at their fingertips. Particularly noteworthy is the low price of communication that these computers allow for. For a mere 20 cents per text message, someone in rural western Kenya can text someone in Washington DC, receiving a reply in a matter of seconds. Furthermore, almost all of these cell-phones have the ability to do simple searches on the web, and although it will be a long time before everyone in developing countries will have access to rich internet (graphics, flash etc.), they already do have the ability to conduct simple searches and receive text based information. In my opinion, I believe this technology allows for endless possibilities, particularly in the health industry. Selanikio touched on a few interesting ideas. He recommended letting doctors and clinicians in rural Africa have access to reference materials for drugs via sms (short message service). Doctors could access this database and find drug interactions, doses and descriptions easily and quickly and then share this information with their patients. This is something that doctors in the west can easily access through the Internet a resource that many take for granted. Other medical usages include managing patients records on sim cards (essentially a memory card). This would allow for portable records in a world of limited paper work and filing.

In terms of HIV/AIDS prevention, I believe that this revolution lends itself to several possibilities as well. The growing cell phone phenomenon is as appealing to teenagers in Africa as it is in the United States. Text messages and text based Internet searches can easily be conducted by teens, and the dissemination of information from Aids prevention organizations could promote Aids awareness and prevention methods to an engaged audience, via a technology that they are already infatuated with. One possibility would be an organization that readily answers all questions about HIV/AIDS via text message. Questions could be submitted anonymously and answers could be received quickly.

I believe that the cell phone phenomenon, or as Selanikio calls it, the Invisible Computer Revolution, that Africa is currently experiencing is one that is underrated, but ripe with possibilities. It is an untapped resource that could not only aid the public health sector, but marketers around the world. Again, ask yourself, what we can do now that for the first time in history, humanity is experiencing the ability to communicate cheaply and efficiently with everyone else in the world.

Time photographs

2009-02-14T16:46:00.000-08:00

I stumbled upon this slide show and thought I would share it with you. As it says in the intro, take a look and then try not to care. Here's the link:

http://www.time.com/2001/aidsinafrica/

Social Media vs. Social Marketing

2009-02-14T16:41:00.000-08:00

I wanted to clear up the confusion that commonly surrounds the terms 'social marketing' and 'social media'. I sometimes forget that not everybody tosses around advertising lingo on a daily basis. Since I am planning to formulate this blog around the effects of social media and social marketing on HIV/AIDS, it might be a good idea to define what these two ideas incorporate, for the edification of my non-advertising readers as well as for myself!

Social marketing is the use of ordinary marketing tools and principles to achieve a certain behavior or to sell an idea (for a social good), rather than push a product. The main goal of social marketing is to benefit society, rather than an organization. Social Marketing has been used for years in the medical field for health programs and awareness, particularly birth-control/condom use.

Social Media, although similar in name, is completely different. Facebook, Myspace, Twitter etc. are examples of social media. They are primarily internet based platforms that allow for discussion, sharing and communication with a number of friends.

There is no need to go into too much more detail about these terms, but hopefully this clears up any misconceptions.

Welcome to my blog!

2009-02-08T19:01:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone!

I have decided that its time for me to jump on the bandwagon and start a blog!

I've always wanted to, however, I wanted it to be focused on something specific. I could never think of a topic that I was passionate enough to write about perennially, but now that the last of my college days are creeping up on me, I've began to give a lot of thought to my future and more specifically, to my career goals. Growing up in Africa has shaped my views and the issues that I see as important and pressing, and I can't imagine not giving back to my home in some way. I spent my most impressionable years on the continent and witnessed more pain and suffering than I hope to see for the remainder of my life. I truly believe that the HIV/AIDS epidemic that is currently afflicting Africa, is one of the major reasons that the continent is not progressing at the same rate as others. There are currently 24.5 million people living with HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa, affecting the economies and infrastructures in crippling ways. This statistic horrifies me, but it also compels me to do something about the issue. Although my blog will not single handedly eradicate the virus, it will allow me to inform people about the pressing issues that exist around the world. Being an advertising and marketing fiend, it is only natural for me to explore the impact and the effect that social media and marketing has on HIV/AIDS, and the social marketing trends that currently exist. I'm hoping that by writing this blog, I will not only learn/inform how advertising and marketing can lead to social change, I will also discover what areas of social marketing interest me the most. I'm sure that with time my writing and exploration will take several twists and turns and touch on varying subjects, but I hope you will all find at least some parts of it interesting. Feel free to give me feed back, I would love to hear varying opinions and ideas

Thats all for now. Enjoy:)