If you look at studies about Millennials' penchant for service or society's growing fascination with all things green, it's not surprising that businesses are thinking more and more about how they can increase awareness for social causes as they increase their margins. Earlier this year, Pepsi decided to forego its million-dollar Super Bowl spot in favor of an enormous social media campaign focused on investing in communities and giving back.
This video had YouTube buzzing in 2008. Capitalizing on the popular B-boy/dance battle trend on YouTube, the video mixed impressive dance moves with a catchy beat and kept the audience's attention until the end--when it revealed that it was a video to raise awareness about Colony Collapse Disorder and the widespread disappearance of bees from our environment.
Nike is known for its creative advertising, so it's no surprise that the Nike Foundation's Girl Effect video found an immediate audience on YouTube. It is often said that the most successful corporate cause marketing initiatives help boost a company's bottom line as well as support an important cause. Nike captures women's attention and succeeds on both fronts with this catchy animated short.
With its "One Day Without Shoes" video campaign, TOMS Shoes reinforced a valuable YouTube message: Empower others to become your video advocates. TOMS asked YouTube users to create their own original videos endorsing the campaign (and promoting the TOMS brand by default), and received numerous pieces, including this one from user Rashnu; one from the Jonas Brothers; and this vlog from one of YouTube's most popular users, Mitchell Davis.
If you're a production company that has just released a documentary about an important cause, you're probably thinking about how to fill those theater seats. Participant Productions cleverly decided to use its connections to create this funny YouTube trailer starring such Hollywood heavyweights as Jennifer Aniston and Ben Stiller. The video seeks to help prevent the fishing of dolphins while getting people excited about the main documentary event.
Seventh Generation is a cleaning brand that has built its business on its environmental reputation. But you may not know that the company is also a huge supporter of WAGES, Women's Action to Gain Economic Security. This how-to video series from Seventh Generation stars members of the WAGES community and shows the company's willingness to put the people and ideas it supports front and center.
As primaries heat up, campaigns are churning out ads at a fast and furious rate. Here are two recent ads that are rapidly climbing the YouTube charts and making waves in the blogosphere.
We'll see whose ads were more effective after tomorrow.
For the past three days, since Seh Daeng, defected Thai army officer and leader of anti-government protesters, was shot in the head, violence has raged in downtown Bangkok.
The protesters, known as the "Red Shirts", have taken to the streets again to demand the return of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was expelled from the country after a coup in 2006. The Thai military, which clashed violently with the Red Shirt protesters in early April, has taken up arms again to crack down against the mounting dissent.
Since last Thursday, more than 30 people have been killed, and over 230 are injured, and attempted negotiations between the two parties do not look promising.
Some video footage of these recent clashes has surfaced on YouTube, though not as much as was uploaded during the April protests. We cannot verify when or where these videos were taken, and are thus relying in each case on the information provided by the uploader.
This clip, taken from above the Rama 4 roadway in Bangkok, shows a group of protesters in the streets scattering after gunshots are fired. As the person holding the camera starts to run, the focus of the image is lost, but you can clearly hear the commotion as people run for safety.
User reggaejames also appears to be at the Rama 4 scene, but on the ground level. He has a series of videos on his channel that shows before, during, and after the gunfire.
For more videos from Thailand, check out this playlist, which we will continue to update.
It's said that change comes through the concerted efforts of small groups of people who dream of better times ahead. And then do something about it.
Today in Santiago, Chile, Google and the group Global Voices recognized three groups from around the world who are fighting for free expression online from Africa to Asia with the first"Breaking Borders" awards. These awards, supported by Thomson Reuters, are meant to honor those who are using the Internet to give voice to those once silenced, make the activities of governments more transparent, and standing up for the rights of dissidents.
The awards — given today at the Global Voices Summit where Internet activists from 60 countries have gathered — were originally announced November 3, 2009, when Google and others marked the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, with the aim of celebrating how the Internet has become a vital ally in worldwide efforts to advance freedom and political change. This is particularly true at a time when dissidents, journalists and bloggers remain under severe pressure in the online and offline worlds.
An online community for Zimbabwean activists, Kubatana uses the Internet, email, SMS, blogs and print materials to disseminate information to the general public. Cited for its extraordinary contributions while operating under in a tense and dangerous political atmosphere, Kubatana's contributions also include an online library of more than 16,000 human rights and civic reports together with a directory listing over 240 NGOs. Beyond its significance as a resource for information on Zimbabwe, Kubatana has also developed Freedom Fone, innovative software that marries the mobile phone to audio voice menus and SMS to give citizens new ways to communicate with one another.
BOSCO was cited for its tremendously effective and creative use of long-exisiting technology to foster social and economic development and peace building in rural communities of northern Uganda. Launched in April 2007, BOSCO began as a solar powered, long-range wireless computer network covering locations in former Internally Displaced Persons camps across the Gulu and Amuru districts. Low power PCs and VoIP phones were installed in schools, health centers and parish offices, bringing Internet, phone and Intranet connectivity to remote areas. BOSCO's long-term vision is to build collaborative, web-based networks. Today it focuses on developing and facilitating Web 2.0 training, online digital ethnography and collaborative online communication mediums between Internet sites.
An independent, not-for-profit media agency, the PCIJ was founded by nine Filipino journalists in 1989 — with borrowed office space, an old-DOS-based computer, a second-hand electric typewriter, and office furniture bought from a thrift shop — to promote the values of investigative reporting in fostering good governance, freedom of expression, and the people's right to know. In 20 years, the PCIJ has produced 500 investigative reports, two dozen books on journalism and governance, five full-length films and dozens of video documentaries. It has conducted a hundred training seminars for journalists in the Philippines and Southeast Asia, and won over 120 national and international awards. The PCIJ maintains a multimediawebsite, an institutional blog; a database site on politics and governance; and institutional accounts on Twitter and YouTube.
Project: Report screening and reception in Washington D.C.
For all of you in the DC area next week, we invite you to join YouTube and the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting for a special Project: Report film screening and reception at George Washington University's School of Media and Public Affairs.
The five grand prize finalists of Project: Report, YouTube's contest for aspiring journalists, will be in attendance to show their winning videos and talk about their work.
For any student journalists, this is a great opportunity to talk with YouTube and Pulitzer Center representatives, and learn more about upcoming Pulitzer Center opportunities.
Earlier this year, we posted about California Senate candidate Carly Fiorina's "Demon Sheep" video, which is probably the most talked-about political ad of this election cycle. With over 750,000 views, it has already spawned several parodies from members of the YouTube community.
Nashville and surrounding areas in Tennessee are enduring historic floods right now, after receiving more than 13 inches of rain in two days. With cars floating down the street, popular stores underwater, and rivers rushing where dry land used to be, Nashville has been transformed and its residents are documenting the scene and uploading their videos to YouTube, where they're getting tens of thousands of views.
More videos can be found in this playlist, and by searching on YouTube.
Today, protests erupted in Greece after the government announced cut backs in federal wages and pensions in the wake of its current financial crisis.
Thousands of angry Greek citizens, outraged at how the government is handling the country's mounting debts, took the the streets, and police forces were dispatched to handle the crowds. However, things turned violent, three protesters have now died, and clashes between citizens and the police have been documented on video and uploaded to YouTube.
For more videos, see this playlist on CitizenTube.
After months of build-up and weeks of campaigning, the British electorate will go to the polls tomorrow. The 2010 General Election has been notable in a number of ways. During the last British election, YouTube didn't even exist - so it's been interesting to see how the campaign has played out on the site. We saw parties, activists and voters using online video in new and innovative ways, including the Labour party’s video manifesto, behind-the-scenes footage from David Cameron on the road, and the ‘Labservative’ viral created for the Lib Dems.
Here at YouTube we joined forces with Facebook to launch the UK’s first Digital Debate, giving users from both sites the opportunity to have their questions answered by Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg. More than 5,300 questions were put forward with the top 10 decided after the casting of 180,000 votes.
The process threw up some interesting responses from the leaders: Gordon Brown stated that civil liberties are “the fundamental tenet of our constitution”, Cameron argued that burglars “leave their human rights at the door” and Clegg conceded that he “couldn’t predict how I would react” if confronted by an intruder at his family home.
The top 10 included questions on the funding of scientific research, the voting system, student loans, drug policy, private property, policing, immigration, the UK-US relationship, the Digital Economy Bill and the economy.
Stay tuned to YouTube tomorrow to hear election reactions from citizens and politicians in what has been a fascinating election campaign.
Diane von Furstenberg is a legendary fashion designer, and she’s also a big believer in celebrating women. That’s why, with Mother’s Day around the corner, we’re thrilled that she’s serving as the Video Volunteers guest curator for this month and asking you to create videos for organizations that support women.
Every day on YouTube, we see women standing up for what they believe in and challenging inequality, from this Saudi Arabian woman driving a car as an act of protest, to the Queen Rania Jordan combating stereotypes of the Middle East. Now we want you to make your voice heard. Create a video about your favorite organization that supports women -- whether it promotes equal pay for equal work, helps women run for elected office, or is trying to outlaw female genital mutilation -- and upload it to the Video Volunteers channel.
The deadline to submit your video is May 26 so check out www.youtube.com/videovolunteers to find an inspirational organization you can help. After all, service never goes out of style.