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Two fun videos for you today. Won’t hurt, promise.

First, the most recent winner of the Golden Lion at Cannes. The video comes from German company, Epuron:

Second, a video from Greenpeace. Coalfinger is five (5) minutes long, but worth every innuendo-laden moment. This spoof deserves a place in the Ring of Honor in the James Bond museum. Seriously:

See? That wasn’t so bad. Now go think about how we can better utilize the energy our planet provides.

Cheers,
Sam
“If you asked me to name the three scariest threats facing the human race, I would give the same answer most people would: nuclear war, global warming, and Windows.”
Dave Barry

A few months ago, I posted a video from some folks across the pond at Transport for London called, “Do The Test.” The video cleverly displayed that it is very easy to get distracted while driving, and completely miss bicyclists on the road. Last week, I stumbled across the fantastic sequel (thanks, Osocio). Enjoy:

Both videos were produced by WCRS, a London-based firm that also boasts BMW, Mini, and Ferror Rocher as clients. Below is the original “Awareness Test.” Now, go forth and start seeing bicycles!

Cheers,
Sam
“When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race.”
H.G. Wells

I’m a big fan of my marketing class. And I’m not just saying that because I know my professor reads this blog (Hi, Jen!). I truly enjoy learning how the principles of marketing and effective communication bleed into the nonprofit world. So, there.

Over the weekend, I read about social marketing and how to do it effectively. Here’s a couple of videos and campaigns that I think do it pretty dang well:

1) The Partnership for a McCain-Free White House: A great mock-PSA funded by Move On done with The Partnership for a Drug-Free America in mind and tongue fully in cheek. More information here.

2) Help Sweden: “Turn the world around.” More information here.

3) Knock It Off: Funded by the Ad Council and GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network), these videos and print ads urge young people to change the way they use the phrase, “That’s so gay.” More information here.

What about you guys? Have you seen or heard any other good examples of social marketing lately? Looking forward to seeing what you have come across.

Cheers,
Sam
“The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well that the product or service sells itself.”
Peter Drucker

A few days ago, I talked a little about the DonorsChoose Blogger Challenge. Well, I wanted to remind you that it’s still going strong. So far we have raised $70 for the No Fear Shakespeare project here in the Phoenix area. But we need to raise $140 more to get those books to the 33 students eagerly awaiting the opportunity to take a big bite out of Billy’s delicious poetry.

I did the math, and if only 14 of you give $10 we can completely fund this project. According to FeedBurner, there are at least 45 of you that read this blog on a daily basis. Sounds pretty easy to me. Click this link or take a look at the widget over in the sidebar. Either way, you are making a lasting impact on the lives of students. But don’t take my word for it:

Cheers,
Sam
“The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars /But in ourselves, that we are underlings.”
Cassius

I’m a big fan of finding positive and lasting solutions, not just complaining about the issues du jour to see how well your voice bounces off blank stares. Thus, I have become increasingly interested in the work in which the We Campaign is feverishly engaged. We is a project of the Alliance for Climate Protection, which was started by the Father of the Internet himself, Al Gore. You learned earlier this week how powerful a signature can be, so why not stop by the We Can Solve It site, and join in the growing numbers of people urging our leaders to rethink power in America, and free us from our addiction to oil?

Cheers,
Sam
“Just because you got the monkey off your back doesn’t mean the circus has left town.”
George Carlin

Cheers,
Sam
“There, I guess King George will be able to read that.”
John Hancock

I’m a fan of football. All sorts of football. I play fantasy football, I’m a big college football fan, and I like to play a little two-hand touch on Thanksgiving Morning. But today, I’m talking about the football with penalty kicks, not penalty yards. You Yanks call it “soccer.” I don’t have any sort of premium cable package, so I am a seasonal fan- like when the Euros or the World Cup are on network television. The next Cup is in South Africa during the summer of 2010, and I can barely stand the anticipation. But honestly, I just got way more excited about the World Cup of 2018:

The website behind Israel-Palestine bid is well-thought out, streamlined, really intuitive, and totally worth a visit. Oh yeah, and it’s actually a side project of OneVoice, a movement of people “eager to support a serious process, leading to a comprehensive agreement that will fulfill the hopes and aspirations of both the Palestinian and the Israeli people for a two-state solution.” That makes sense to me. And, I found out, a bunch of other people, too. Nearly 650,000 (I was number 646,402) voices are singing the song of a two-state solution in perfect harmony. Add your voice to the chorus. And go watch some (real) football.

Cheers,
Sam
“Peace and football are the best combination.”
Avram Grant
(Former Coach of Chelsea Football Club)

Americans for the Arts has a fantastic new marketing campaign out right now; “Art. Ask For More.” Dr. Seuss taught us all that being silly can be a very effective way to communicate. Who knew that a talking feline could teach us so much about cleaning up after ourselves, a crazy yarn about oddly colored eggs could teach us to try new things, or that an elephant with an identity crisis could teach us that a person is a person, no matter how small? These TV ads will begin airing soon (thanks to funding from the Ad Council and the NAMM Foundation), telling parents and teachers how to better “feed kids the arts” in some extremely effective (read: silly) ways. Theodore, eat your heart out:

Cheers,
Sam
“The fact that people do not understand and respect the very best things, such as Mozart’s concertos, is what permits men like us to become famous.”
Johannes Brahms