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As those attending this month’s FITC Mobile conference will find out, story is king. It only stands to reason: if you’re running a mobile campaign, you have to make people care. Having a story to your campaign isn’t just important. It’s the make-or-break item on your list. And no one exemplifies that idea better than an organization named 826 National.
“We are an American based organization dedicated to giving students the individual focus they need in order to improve their literacy, writing and communications skills,” says Erin Archuleta, 826 National program & outreach coordinator. Through their free tutoring services in 7 locations, 826 has helped 22,000 kids across America migrate from Nickelodeon and PS3 addictions to understanding the power of telling their own stories.
“I don’t really focus in my house because there’s a TV and video games. I focus here because I have tutors that know a lot of stuff. When I’m done I can make a story,” says Khaled Hamdan, one of the 826 students.
Not only can Khaled make stories – he himself is a story.
Joan Kim, 826 NYC program coordinator, tells me that although Khaled is only going into grade 7 this fall, he’s already been published in 5 different books, and has written a mockumentary about superheroes that have gone by the wayside entitled “Super Has-Beens.”
The program is partially subsidized by sales in uniquely-themed retail fronts to the tutoring centres, like 826 Valencia’s Pirate Supply Store, or the Superhero Supply Co. at 826 NYC in Brooklyn, where you can try on a cape in the fabled “capery” and buy superhero-themed canned goods.
But other models of funding are clearly necessary. Enter 826 National’s Youth Advisory Board comprised entirely of the students and program staff. They designed a fundraiser for Youth Literacy Day, which serendipitously falls on 8/26.
“It was our first time doing this and we wanted to celebrate literacy and the art of storytelling while having fun,” says 826’s Erin Archuleta.
The fundraiser included a write-a-thon that lasted 8 hours and 26 minutes and – wait for it – also featured a mobile giving component.
Using the power of social media and their strong following, 826 National ran a grassroots campaign asking US cellphone users to text the word “WRITE” to 20222 to give $8.26.
The results? They Tweeted, Facebooked and blogged their way to more than $8260.00 in contributions. The campaign moved supporters to engage with the organization on a deeper level.
NGOs like 826 National need to use story as a means of attracting support and interest to their cause. And as the mobile marketing dance floor becomes more crowded, with an estimated 4 to 5 billion devices, organizations and companies are understandably interested in how to leverage the platform. But the trick is considering whether mobile is being used as an extension of a compelling story.
Storytelling Intersect, Innovation, Corporate, Authenticity, Digital, Data, Augmented Reality & More
September 9, 2010 @ 12:00 pm
[...] Storytelling in hand « Big Orange Slide [...]
Viola
September 9, 2010 @ 2:19 pm
Hi Liam,
Great blog and very true. A good example of adding story to product is the Lexus “Moments” commercial. Emotions SELL.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXmcpHgKqn4
Geoffrey
September 9, 2010 @ 2:55 pm
Great piece! Going forward I predict the mobile campaign medium will suffer donor’s ennui – the narrative has to be the way to break through – but it may get more, not less challenging as this form of giving is adopted.
Liam Mooney
September 9, 2010 @ 3:15 pm
Thanks Geoff,
Usually my writing style is more engaging and ridiculous so I apologize for making your eyes bleed on this one.
But, you are right. As more org’s and NGO’s get ‘hip’ and decide to fundraise through mobile the more difficult it will become.
People have limited charity budgets and they are all competing with each other for the same donors more or less which makes it a challenge.
Liam Mooney
September 10, 2010 @ 9:46 am
Also, I should note that I was able to share this story with the wonderful people at 826 National and they were thrilled!
I was super glad to write about this particular organization – I wish more people and organizations had missions as important as this one!