What can an NGO with a video camera learn from Kony2012
Kony2012 has become one of the most viewed viral videos ever.
Even though allegations on Invisible Children’s organisational practice have come into question (Charlie Brooker does a great job doing so, in his 10 O’Clock Live slot) and even though those living in Uganda see it as a horribly bias, western focused and incorrect film (here and here) you can’t help but be a little bit envious of all the attention it has gained - pushing the organisation and the campaign itself into the stratosphere.
So what tricks can NGO’s or charities with a video camera learn?
Surly the success can be replicated elsewhere - what secret does it have, to even hook the most self-centred person and make them post it everywhere.
- Start with an quote that most people know. Like - ‘Nothing is more powerfully then an idea whose time has come’ - Victor Hugo.
- Make a statement of such epic proportions, it makes every viewer feel together and as one. Here its done by talking about the connectivity of the internet.
- The next 27 minutes are an experiment - What a hook, even though you have no clue what the hell he is talking about, you want to watch more.
- 02:20 Here they start a simple narrative frame based around family and how important it is to all of us.
- Include a personal story - For this video it is Jacob’s, as bad as it sounds - he is a story plot. Stories are powerful tools of connecting with an audience.
- 08:10 The director, yet again pulls in the individual by stating that you can change history, collectively with every other viewer - and this is repeated ever so often throughout the film.
- 08:30 Start to introduce songs with emotional, tuneful melodies. Usually by Coldplay, Sigur Ros or in this case The Naked & The Famous. X-factor always does it.
- Get a kid to talk about the issue or bad guy. If the next generation can understand how evil someone is, that person is really EVIL!
- Ok - now we have some very technical, expensive slow-mo shots of children acting like their are being kidnapped, followed by technical photo and even CGI shots . Hardly any NGO has a turnover to even think about doing this.
- 14:20 Bring in your organisations own history, your achievements, your growth, your story - you are the ones who want to be joined by viewers to form a community
- Show people uniting with your organisation (just please do not inadvertently look like a new version of Hitler Youth… 17:06)
- Tell them how to act - what can they do right now to help the cause. Here it’s the simple action of spreading his name.
- Insert Bono…..*
- Offline material. This may be online - but offline material is a vital necessity
- Bring back the points and narrative made at the beginning - like how the internet connects everyone, how family is important and how everyone can work collectively to change history.
Final thoughts:
It is a very cleaver propaganda film - much like the Make Poverty History campaign it will unite people within developed countries, in the thought that they will save the world; which is not a bad thing, but shouldn’t we move to a more long lasting plan- growing and shifting the power to those without a voice.
If the people in Uganda have power and a voice to fight Kony and if all those that watch this film have power and a voice to fight Kony, wouldn’t that lead to longer lasting change?
and when I say power I do not mean military - I mean the power to advocate for what is right, the power of community, of democracy and of equality.
These are the types of power that create change.
*Please do not insert Bono anywhere
1950's Facebook makeover
An app from the people at Action Aid for International Woman’s Week. So cool.
Click the link.
Draw a Whale! http://thelast130.org/ To supports WWF’s campaign to save the last 130 Western Gray Whales.
What are the laws regarding protestors that are 5 inches high?
Full article on the Russian protest http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/26/doll-protesters-problem-russian-police
Creativity and Play: Tim Brown, within this 27min Ted Talk goes into how play, aids him and his team in designing products.
Could this also work for creating engaging campaigns and having a greater engagement with supporters.
A spoonful of CRAFT helps the ACTIVISM go down
knit 1 purl 1 from the Craftivist Collective
The Bread Art Project
Create a piece of bread art worthy of the Tate Modern and aid in donating $1 to Share our Strength.
Being creative doesn’t stop with your campaign idea, see if you can go further by giving the public a way to be creative.
Save 1 life by sharing and donating
Take a dog on a vitural walk
A free £1 goes towards abandon dogs via taking a dog for a walk across the web - At 50p you get a giant dog taking over you screen! (insert scream)
How To Create An International Campaign Within 4 Days - Pt 2
Pt 1 gave us a run down of the events and conversations that took place in creating the Planet Before Protocol campaign.
But what could be considered the 10 crucial steps in its creation
- Journalists - Without them there would be no campaigns ever. - FACT
- Sharing - I love Twitter and for this campaign it has been the dominate tool; it’s speed of communication and its simplicity in sharing information has yet to be beaten.
- The chance of having simple snippets of information, becoming a full campaign idea - @Nwoje’s tweet about having a campaign aimed at the Queen, was possible the most important part of the puzzle. However it would not of got there without Futerra’s #comeondave, or maybe without myself sending a reply tweet consisting of “yeah, not enough people write to the queen these days” or with @alexjamesfarrow re-stating that the other 54 Commonwealth leaders may do the same. As well as @MathieuSoete stating that he already had hard hitting facts about the Commonwealth and discussing a Commonwealth leader aimed campaign just like @Nwoje.
See, its always good to share news but attaching your own thoughts/ reactions can generate more then just conversation, especially if more then one person has the same idea. - A group space where global networked people concerned with the issue can discuss the idea further - This develops on the previous point. With today’s technology it is possible to share and discussed collective action globally faster then it was even possible three years ago.
- A need for a campaign - Those that have been part of the Rio+20 youth group have once in a while mentioned the need for a youth campaign that they all can get behind globally; So with this campaigns early build up it was ripe for easy picking.
- The addition of facts - Gaining the background knowledge that ‘30% of the global population live within the Commonwealth’ or that 1.25bn people in ‘the Commonwealth big 4 live on less then $2 per day’ - is crucial but there arrived late into the the first day due to @MathieuSoete having to translate them.
Meaning, that we first built the whole campaign on personal thoughts and smaller amounts of important information, which made it a very concise plan of action. - News of a very close event connected to the campaign - Fate, luck or coincidence made us feel like we could get an active ‘not stuck on the internet’ campaign going within a few days via youth in Perth questioning the Commonwealth leaders as long as we acted fast enough. (btw it did not happen =( )
- Have multiply talents - Within the group and those within the group having connections with the missing needed skills (eg web design). Fits the simple equation of ‘its not how many people you know, its how many kinds.’
- Deep discussion - Like the facts leaving this until the end made the campaign grow faster; but it was needed just to get the messaging just right.
- The key few - Though over 60 people have been involved, its important to note that only a select view put 110% effort into getting it ready. This may seem unfair but those on the sidelines throw in the small tip-bits that aid them in progressing the campaign.
Next steps?
Remember this campaign has just started. Things have to be discussed and developed for it to have a lasting life-span right up to Rio+20.
But seeing what we achieved in such a short time, I’m sure we will and can make it happen.
If you are interested in aiding in its development head to its own Google Group.
How To Create An International Campaign Within 4 Days - Pt 1
At 21:42 (GMT) on 29th October 2011 the Planet Before Protocol campaign was launched - its website, its petition, its bonus mini-game and of course it’s Twitter and Facebook pages were all set up to be spread far and wide by the 60+ people involved in its creation from around the globe.
But what steps did it take to get a global campaign up and running in 4 days? and what is the Planet Before Protocol campaign?
26th Oct
- 07:01 - The BBC Environment Correspondent, Richard Black writes David Cameron to miss Rio+20 Earth Summit for Jubilee article
- 09:34 - The Guardian Newspaper uploads the article written by James Murray entitled David Cameron to snub Rio+20 Earth Summit, despite MP’s Calls.
The articles go into detail on the fact that Mr Cameron will not be going to Rio+20 due to its slight clash with Queen Elizabeth’s II Diamond Jubilee in June 2012.
Both pieces contain statements from governmental bodies and non-governmental organisations on how disappointing it is that the UK world leader will not be attending.
Its important to note that the BBC article states:-
“The clash raises the question of whether other Commonwealth heads of government will also stay away. Protocol would be likely to demand the presence of the 54 countries’ leaders in London.”
- Morning - This news is shared via social media links
- Early Afternoon - The organisation Futerra gives the article a greater push on Twitter via using the hashtag #comeondave
- Several minutes later - @nwoje tweets them
“How about a campaign asking the Queen to release him from his duty, like parent sending notes to schools to excuse their children.”
Futerra replies
“Dear Miss Windsor, please can David be excused from class today. He has to help save the planet. The British public” #comeondave “
- 14:02 - @MathieuSoete Writes within a Facebook group for those that were part of the European Youth Congress 2011 that it will be great to a campaign started concerning getting Commonwealth leaders to Rio+20 instead of heading to the Jubilee.
- Meanwhile - The Google group connecting those wanting to share information and discuss Rio+20 from a youth perspective have also gained the news. (@bbennn)
- 15:38 - @Nwoje shares his campaign idea and the Futerra tweet within the news thread.
- 19:02 - @MathieuSoete gives a structured overview of the campaigns aims and added information and facts on why it is keen that Commonwealth Leaders attend Rio+20
- 19:43 - The Cameron not going to Rio+20 thread has becomes so active with people lie @Nwoje and @MathieuSoete, that the decision to move the campaign to its own Google group takes place.
Within these 4 hours, yet again the point about the possibility of all the 54 Commonwealth counties leaders not going to Rio+20 is mentioned. (@alexjamesfarrow) #planetbeforeprotocol as a hashtag and overall name for the campaign is mentioned (@joaoscarpelini) More facts about the Commonwealth start to turn up - eg, how many people live within them, there poverty and climate change issues and a to the Queen petition concept is born (@MathieuSoete)
NOTE: The most vocal, about getting the campaign up and running asap; were those not from Commonwealth countries.
27th Oct
- 01:23 - @tmyoungman shares the news that the Commonwealth leaders are actually meeting right now in Perth, Australia. and that it will be good if we have people based in the City.
- 13:36 - Artwork ideas are shared, with having David Cameron made to look like a school kid and him and other Commonwealth leaders being all on a plane that is heading to Rio.
- 20:09 - A quick update on how things have progressed in the last 24 hours and the start of people taking on specific roles.
28th Oct
- Morning - Serendipity leads to a simple remark of having a game concerning catching David Cameron and putting him on a plane to Rio; becoming real - as a game developer starts working on it.
- 12:33 - News that on Sunday the Commonwealth leaders have a breakfast discussion with Commonwealth Youth; + we have a contact working with these youth.
- Throughout the day - Messaging discussions take place; concerning the name of the campaign, its scope and its overall wording.
This potential slowed down the growth of the campaign, but at the same time it was crucial - as we should remember not everyone has David Cameron as their leader, or is part of the Commonwealth. The scope of the campaign leads us to maybe having a campaign that involves youth getting all the world leaders to Rio+20 by showing them that instead of doing protocol that should put the planet 1st. Due to the Perth timelimit this is set to be discussed after the launch, but kept in the back of the heads for those involved.
- 15:34 - Website design layout starts to be discussed.
- Evening - The game is finished and everyone has fun playing it.
29th Oct
- Throughout the day - The website, the finally messaging, the social links are tweaked and creating for the launch.
- 21:42 - Planet Before Campaign officially starts!
Pt 2, goes into what has been the most important 10 steps that led to the campaign being created within 4 days.
Reporters Without Borders app is all mouth.
The Elephant in the Room: Last year, the AYCC (Australian Youth Climate Coalition) had a challenge on their hands, with parliament ignoring the big fat elephant in the room; which is climate change.
So what do they do? They only go and create a infamous TV appearing elephant.
Sometimes the most simplest creative idea, is the best. @ukycc (UK Youth Climate Coalition) show us what happened at COP16 last year
