Once upon a time, we lived in a world where no one expected the companies that sold them soap, shoes or snacks to also help cure diseases, feed the hungry, and protect animal habitats. Sure you'd find the occasional donation can at a cash register, but for the most part, bettering the world was not something you looked to do while shopping or encountering ads.
All of that is rapidly changing. Welcome to the "We First" world - one where people are more socially aware than ever, and companies are pulling their weight in innovative ways to create positive change around the world.
In his new book, We First: How Brands and Consumers Use Social Media to Build a Better World, Simon Mainwaring (@simonmainwaring) discusses the connection among social media, brands, charities, and everyday people. He points to SocialVibe as an example of the power of spreading messages on social media and talks about the incredible movement from a "me" world to a "we" world.
We're so honored to be a part of the "we" movement and thrilled to be included in this inspiring book.
Below, SocialVibe CEO, Jay Samit, sums up "the power of all of us."
"Just a few minutes a day…a click here…a post there…can inspire millions to give back to those in need. On average, SocialVibe users share brand campaigns with 170 of their friends and our members, their friends, and our advertisers continue to use social media for social good each day."
We've had the honor of working with hundreds of your favorite brands that want to make a difference. From uploading images of light to fund solar energy projects through GE, to making virtual beds through Marriott to fund disaster relief efforts, we've been able to help offer actions that highlight the work of both brands and charities – and we couldn't have done it without you.
What are some of your favorite socially responsible brands? Share them in the comment section!
SV, a top Social Media Influencer? Stop it; you're making us blush. Okay, don't stop... we love it. In fact, we'd actually love for YOU to head over to this page and vote for us!
It's simple (we promise).
1) Go here 2) Click "Vote Now" 3) Select the GE Ecomagination campaign by SocialVibe
We're up for this award thanks to our work on the GE Ecomagination Photo Project, one that more than 200,000 of you participated in.
In reality, it’s thanks to all of you. As a result of the incredible images you uploaded, more than $50,000 was donated to charity!
Completing that activity helped build a well in Africa, provided more than 400 families in developing nations with 2 solar lights each, decreasing their dependence on kerosene, and funded the construction of three wind turbines to produce electricity for three health clinics in isolated rural communities.
Pretty sweet, huh? Wait… why are you still reading this? Here’s the plan for today: you go vote for us and we’ll keep working with great companies to create cool ways for you to help your favorite causes! Now, get voting!
Daniel Radcliffe may be magic on screen, but the 21-year-old star does some pretty commendable things off screen too. In between filming blockbuster gold, he spends his free time promoting tolerance and acceptance to all who will listen.
Like all of us, Daniel was saddened by the recent string of suicides among LGBTQ youth and is asking everyone to join him in supporting The Trevor Project on SocialVibe. The Trevor Project is the only nationwide 24/7 suicide prevention lifeline for LGBTQ youth.
Suicide is a leading cause of death among young people and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth face factors that make them up to four times more likely to attempt to take their own lives. SocialVibe, Daniel, and The Trevor Project are asking for your help in preventing these tragic and unnecessary deaths.
"I think that with every generation, people become more open to those ideas and more aware and more educated,” Daniel told MTV earlier this year. “But it's a really, really slow process. If you take any family with parents who are bringing their kids up in a narrow-minded way that includes homophobia, it will take a very profound moment of realization to change those deep-seated views."
Visit the Trevor Project cause page on SocialVibe – socialvibe.com/thetrevorproject – and complete the short, sponsored activities. Each one that you complete directly raises funds to provide suicide prevention resources for LGBTQ youth in crisis.
After completing the activities, you can join SocialVibe and choose The Trevor Project as your cause to help even more. Have a blog? Add the SocialVibe WordPress widget or Blogger gadget to let your readers earn free donations for The Trevor Project.
Share the video on Facebook and Twitter to help spread Daniel’s message and get the word out about The Trevor Project’s life-saving work.
Planning on doing some Christmas shopping online? You’re not alone. The Monday after Thanksgiving has become “Cyber Monday,” the biggest online shopping day of the year.
This year, our friends at the Nature Conservancy have combined two much loved practices, online shopping and green gifting, to create the perfect marriage of green living and convenience: Green Gift Monday.
Last year, $890 million was spent online on that one day, which got people at the Nature Conservancy thinking:
“Imagine the difference we could make if just a fraction of that money was spent on responsible, meaningful holiday gifts.”
Want to help make it happen? Great! Here’s how it works:
1) Check out the loads of green gifts available online. (Trust us, no matter what you’re looking for, there’s a version that was made in an environmentally responsible way.) 2) Buy ‘em online on Monday, November 29th 3) Sit back and enjoy the warm, fuzzy feeling you’ll get, knowing that you’ve done something thoughtful for your loved ones and our planet!
Sound simple enough? We think so too.
Get your shopping off to a great start; avoid crowds, compare products and keep your environmental impact at a minimum. Plus, you can do it all in your PJs! What’s not to love?
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Help the caffeine fiend in your life go green with this reusable to-go mug - $7-9 on Amazon.
Teach tykes about alternative energy with this solar-powered grasshopper - $5 on Amazon.
Dirt-free, indoor herb garden - $59 on Amazon.
Make sure the rugrats in you life get off to an eco-friendly start with own little Smart Cars - $209 on Amazon.
Have an athlete or sports fan to buy for? They can get their eco-friendly game on with fair trade, vegan soccer balls, footballs, and basketballs - $29-39 on Amazon. Proceeds benefit children’s charities.
On 10-10-10, there will be struggles and triumphs. Babies will be born, people will die, and citizens from around the world will document joy, devastation, and everything in between to create a video time capsule called “One Day on Earth.”
We all have stories to tell - this is your chance to share yours with the world. All you need is a video camera. Sign up, film whatever inspires you on 10-10-2010, and upload it.
Participants range from high school kids with camcorders to Oscar-nominated filmmakers. The footage will be compiled into a documentary that captures a single 24-hour period on our planet from thousands of different perspectives.
Is there a cause close to your heart that you want to call attention to? One Day on Earth has partnered with charities like the World Wildlife Fund, United Nations Development Program, Autism Speaks, and The American Red Cross to help spotlight all kinds of important causes.
Consider this an invitation – YOU are cordially invited to help tell the story of One Day on Earth.
Don't have a video camera? Buy, borrow, or steal one. Just Kidding! Seriously, please don't steal one. Borrowing is the best option. Ask a friend or neighbor. Many schools have video cameras that can be checked out for a few days too - if you're a student, check with yours.
The fact that it's Friday is cause enough for celebration, but today is also “Hug a Vegetarian” Day! Our friends at peta2 have set up a cool page where you can pledge to give a certain number of hugs, create your own ad (staring you), and print out “Free Vegetarian Hugs” signs.
Plus, it’s Free Stuff Friday at peta2. For your chance to win a free “Tofu Makes Me So-So Happy” tee and a pack of bracelets, visit this page and share how many people you’ve hugged today.
Thinking about trying the veggie life but haven’t taken the plunge? Try it out for 30 days. Go here for your free vegetarian starter kit with recipes, restaurant tips, advice about getting all of your vitamins, words from Natalie Portman, Paul McCartney, and much more.
Now, go hug someone!
You can earn donations to help animals any day of the year by supporting peta2 on SocialVibe.
Do you have a silly human trick? It could be your ticket to Vegas! Animals like elephants don’t enjoy doing tricks; they perform out of fear (see this previous post). We humans however are constantly coming up with cool new ways to entertain each other!
Cirque du Soleil
Unwilling performer
Willing Cirque du Soleil performers
There are lots of great shows (even circuses) that entertain without abusing animals. Cirque du Soleil is a great one and peta2 wants to give you tickets to check it out… in Las Vegas!
Want to get your hands on those tickets? We thought so. Here’s how:
1. Record a short vid of yourself performing a trick
There are an estimated 23,000 nuclear weapons in the world. Those that are launch-ready right now can kill 100 million people in about 30 minutes. Here’s the kicker: we don’t know where they all are. The new film, Countdown to Zero, lays out the facts about our global situation and presents a convincing argument to get that 23,000 down to zero.
Got chills? Good. It’s a terrifying thought, but there are things that all of us can do to change it, and sometimes that chill gives us the push we need to take action.
One of the most important things you can do is educate yourself. Grab a friend and head over to a free (yes, FREE!) showing near you. Go here or visit takepart.com/zero to find a showing in your area and reserve tickets. Better snag ‘em while you can – the film has already made the rounds at festivals like Sundance and Cannes and the first showing near our SocialVibe offices sold out!
Once you’ve reserved your tix, make sure you sign the petition to demand a world without nuclear weapons at takepart.com/zero. The US and Russia recently signed a treaty to lessen the number of nukes we’re both storing, but it can’t be enforced until the Senate passes it. It's up to all of us to sign it, share it and post it everywhere we can. Join the movement to create a safer world for all of us. Demand zero!
