As of yesterday, $27 million has been donated to Haiti relief efforts via text donations. (CBS News). The Red Cross mobile campaign - texting the word "Haiti" to 90999 is simple and ingenious. According to Peter Dunn in a recent MediaPost article, The Red Cross has "cracked the code to Gen Y giving."
What made the campaign all the more successful was how quickly the viral and PR efforts took off. Facebook certainly did their part. As have the major news networks. There hasn't been a day that's gone by that I haven't seen the "Text Haiti to 90999" on multiple TV stations. Talk about free advertising!
The Red Cross isn't the only organization that has seen an major influx of donations of course. But they definitely have the best campaign and I'm sure marketers all over the globe are taking note. Or getting on the bandwagon. I Heart Daily posted today that Gaia Online, an anime-themed site for tweens and teens, will match Red Cross Donations submitted by members.
What is your brand doing to support relief efforts?
