Millennials: Social Marketing for a Cause
Posted On January 3, 2013
Millennials are fond of “causes,” charities, philanthropies, non-profits, etc., and are responsive to cause-based marketing. But fundraisers for actual causes can find it difficult to solicit donations from a generation that has very little money. Thus, it’s hard to translate Millennials’ enthusiasm for global and community aid and movements into real benefits for charitable organizations.
However, one clean water charity seems to have found a way to channel Millennial enthusiasm into real donations: it turns them into social media fundraisers. Mycharitywater.org found that what Millennials lack in funds, they can make up for with their fondness for social media and brand enthusiasm.
Mycharity:water allows users to generate their own fundraising campaigns – kind of like a Facebook page – that they can customize and promote on social networks. Now, Millennial users who would have trouble coughing up a hundred bucks for a cause are generating gifts in the thousands using their own creativity and contacts. The idea hits on many Millennial touchstones: social media, customization, individuality, brand evangelism, and community. And it’s worked. Mycharity:water has generated $20 million since it started up.
http://business.time.com/2012/12/27/how-nonprofits-convince-millennials-to-give-customize-the-cause/