Authentic Advocacy

This week I attended an event put on by Mediasauce on the topic of “Authentic Advocacy”: How Businesses and Non-Profits Can Work Together to Change the World.

First off, I would like to credit the individuals behind this presentation
@scottyhendo and @mitchmaxson, if you are on twitter and not following these guys, I recommend you do.

The linking of Non-profits and Corporate organizations is an area that I have had very minimal interaction from a business standpoint. While I am surrounded by “Cause marketing” and have supported many campaigns in the past as well as currently (i.e. Starbucks: Shared Planet, Product (RED), Tyson Hunger Relief, Invisible Children, etc.), I never really reflected on how they work and what goes on to make them a success.  In the day or so leading up to and at the seminar it all just seemed click and spark my thought process, which prompted this post and a general increase of awareness.

It is amazing how much “cause marketing” occurs around us, and the amount we seemingly encounter each day without knowing. What I found to be most interesting and something I took away from the event, was the amount of potential there is to do more.

Today the resources available to us are endless. The presentation greatly emphasized how over time “groups” have worked to bridge the gap between one another.  We have used various methods to connect groups and are at a point now where the opportunity to create a community focused on the same interests as ourselves, is very attainable. We need to use the tools that are out there and available to begin piecing together the puzzle, forming a community, and generating interest. There are many people out there that are passionate about many of the same things that you are, it is just a matter of reaching them.

For example*, here are a couple causes that reached out to the web, created a community, and ignited a fire that has helped them to prevail through tough times.
@Armano and #Daniella – follow the link to read a blog post about this from Mediasauce.

Mara Triangle – See what they are doing on Twitter, Facebook, Vimeo, etc.

*both examples are taken from the event and are based off of what was discussed during that time.

Along with the examples above, I had some great additional takeaways from the event that helped me understand how all of these causes have managed to succeed: