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is repaid (typically between 6-18 months) putting the money back into the lenders paypal account, which can then be withdrawn or hopefully re-lent to another worthy borrower.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 might already be a regular visitor to JWT’s “Anxiety Index”.
The site, so far, have 350 examples of how brands around the world are responding to the recession. Some clever stuff.
In addition to this, the site reports on changing levels of consumer anxiety and also the most common sources.
Fresh today, a new report is included in the site which highlights the Ten Best Cases of notable responses to the recession, ranging from AMEX to Hyundai, from the USA to India, from Europe to Australia.
I loved (silly me!) one of the lead stories in yesterday’s Advertising Age, to borrow their headline:
In Latest Crowd-Source Move, Mtn Dew Lets Public Pick Its ‘Agency’
The story behind this is that for its next Mountain Dew campaign, Pepsico is using “Dewmocracy”, to launch three new line extensions. Any agency, independent film company or individual can submit 12-second clips via www.12seconds.tvoutlining their ideas for marketing three new Mtn Dew line extensions.
This type of approach, known as “Crowd-Sourcing” has been sued for a number of recent campaigns, including have the public generate the advertising content itself (one excellent example being Doritos and the Superbowl).
No connection with the above, but another sign of the times, yesterday Cliff Freeman and Partners, one of the USA’s most creative agencies during the past 20 years closed down.
Thai Consumer confidence is improving, climbing 5 points from 81 in March 2009 to 86 in the second quarter, according to a Nielsen Global Consumer Confidence Survey released on 3rd August..
We see it in our daily lives, read it in the papers, get bombarded by it on TV and Internet reporting.
A few months back, JWT launched our Anxiety Index, a measure of the levels of anxiety around the globe and perhaps more importantly how different markets and different brands are reacting, coping or even capitalising on the economic recession. If you haven’t visited before, click away, lots of interesting examples of clever thinking, locally, regionally, globally.
Today, the agency launched its very first “Anxiety Index Quarterly”. This special report, entitled “The Genericizing of Brands” combines consumer and brand reactions to the recession. One key conclusion, to avoid turning a brand into a simple price-lead generic is to “Make Brand Tactics As Important As Brand Strategy”. The report explains ways of doing this with lots of examples.
And of course, in these “tough times”, its free to you.
Different from previous Songkran festivals (Thai New Year) during 2009, Thailand was locked in a political crisis with massive mobs forcing the PM to declare a state of emergency in Bangkok and five neighboring provinces. One of the most memorable moments which became the talk of the town was not army troops or severe protests but the appearance of “BATMAN to help.
When red-shirt protestors parked an 8 ton gas truck beside Din-Deang, a big and long-established community with more than 1,500 households nobody knew that this severe situation would be solved by BATMAN.
This following clip shows a guy with Batman costume running to the Gas truck, getting all the attention from the nervous people around including Army troops, anti-government protestors, and the owners of homes at risk !
Other than reflecting the Thai personality of fun and land of smiles, what happened here also really reflects a real strategy of how to communicate in a crisis and become a hero brand…
Grasp opportunity from chaos,
Act fast (it’s worth taking a bit of a risk),
And make sure that you come up with a smart strategic idea presented with an outstanding execution to get attention
…Use your humor sense sometime
(It doesn’t need to be a big campaign – a one impact shot can become talk of the town)
Ann Mack, JWT’s Global Trendspotting head ผู้ซึ่งรวบรวมบทสัมภาษณ์จากผู้บริโภคจากหลากหลายประเทศ รวมถึงประเทศไทย ซึ่งจะช่วยให้เราเห็นภาพความแตกต่างในการรับมือภาวะเศรษฐกิจถดถอยในหลากหลายมุมมอง
Ann Mack, JWT’s Global Trendspotting head has written a report on this, gathering consumer feedback from many countries, including Thailand (thanks to Shanaree Laohapongphan our Thai Trend-spotter).
This is just one of many free reports, articles, studies etc that are available at www.anxietyindex.com please check it out regularly, as its regularly being updated.
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