I stumbled across Kiva.org a couple of years ago, but failed to sign-up due to problems with my Paypal account, now fortunately rectified.
What a great use of technology to aid the world’s less well off would-be entrepreneurs (and actual ones.) Kiva.org (www.kiva.org) is an online system based in San Fransisco that unites anyone willing to make small interest free loans to entrepreneurs in some of the worlds poorer countries.
Am struggling to embed a sweet little film, that traces a $25 loan made in London to the recipient in Cambodia, but you can access it here.
Unlike a charitable gift, the loan is repaid (typically between 6-18 months) putting the money back into the lenders paypal account, which can then be withdrawn or hopefully re-lent to another worthy borrower.
So far around 400,000 people have received loans helping them set up or expand their small business. $150 million lent and people in 200 countries benefited.
Take a look, the interface is very easy to use and apart from being tempted to help you might get a rush of gratefulness for how lucky we are.
You know those pesky (unwritten) rules that stick to product categories like flies on … ?
Take charities. The rules are: 1) Instill a sense of guilt, 2 and 3) repeat rule 1. If you want to compete with the thousands of ads for charities out there, these rules may work just fine for you. But what if you want to play a different ball game alltogether? What if you want to compete with everything else, all the really awesome stuff we’d much rather spend our time with than just another ad?
You take the rules, you study them carefully and then you go away and do the exact opposite!
I give you SOS Mata Atlântica Foundation’s “Pee in the Shower”
Total estimated media return: US$20.642.189,36.
Here’s to breaking rules and changing the world…one ad at a time,
If you are into FourSquare or Gowalla you probably appreciate social media, but the latest ipod/ipad app doesn’t just tell your friends where you are and what you are doing but what you are watching too.
Ladies and gentlemen, it’s over. Playing it safe is officially no longer an option. Here it is, black on white… the proof we have all been waiting for: “The most creatively-awarded advertising campaigns are 11 times more efficient at delivering business success” than their less creative counterparts.
Read the full report here and get ready for advertising as it should be!
Since launching its “Write The Future” spot on May 20th, Nike claims 32 million people have watched it.
Check it out below or on our early May 24th blog post.
The latest follow up is “Write Your Headline”, where the public are invited to send world cup messages and 100 a night are displayed on J’Burg’s Life Centre Tower.
Despite the enormous amount of plastic waste, their is not enough recycled to meet our ongoing needs.
Electrolux, the Swedish electrical manufacturer is doing something about it with their “Vac From The Sea” program – producing a range of Vacuum cleaners using plastic waste collected from the world’s seas.
Ann Mack, JWT’s Head of Intelligence and Trendspotting has just released a new report on Social Media – I steal below, with pride!
Enjoy
Iain
While social media is still in its infancy, it’s getting increasingly crowded and, as a result, increasingly confusing. But it’s exciting at the same time.
For our latest report, we spoke with a globally diverse panel of 18 professionals (both inside and outside JWT) in the social media sphere. From those conversations, we developed 12 actionable recommendations for brands, with case studies to help illustrate these ideas.
Yes, the man rocked the Cannes Lions on Monday…in his underwear (I kid you not). New Zealand based Special Group took home a well deserved Direct Grand Prix for it’s Orcon Broadband Campaign.
Background: Despite offering faster broadband and better service, Orcon was still largely unknown.
Objective: To raise awareness of Orcon’s superior offering.
Strategy: Why say it when you can show it?
Execution: A “mass product demonstration” featuring Mr Iggy Pop.
Results: Off the wall. 200 auditions viewed over 100,000 times, 3,500 new Facebook friends in two weeks, NZ$650,000 of unpaid media coverage before the TV spot even aired and a 30% sales increase on the previous year.
What they did? They organised a world first event, a chance for 9 Kiwis to re-record Iggy’s “The Passenger” with the man himself. Everything revolved around the internet: the call for auditions, the facebook activity, the “play live with Iggy” event. So, while everyone else out there was busy talking up their services, Orcon went out and used theirs, showed it, made it truly magical. Who would have thought you can record a song via the internet, with 9 of you in New Zealand, each at their own studio and one in Miami in his studio?
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