Campaigns with a Conscience

The concept behind viral campaigns is to use a catchy idea that has a lot of “buzz” and get the audience itself to spread the message through means like YouTube, email, instant messenger and word of mouth.

The viral campaigns the public are most familiar with usually include selling a product, like Guitar Pro or Cadbury’s Creme Eggs. However, there are many others who use viral techniques to draw the public’s attention towards issues or causes they feel need support and publicity.

One example can be seen here, in one of the campaigns released by Transport for London. The point of this video is to challenge drivers and those using the road to pay closer attention. Check it out:

Video artists can use this medium as well, when they publicise their art. Video artist Mel Chin wanted to draw attention to the cause of Hurricane Katrina “and develop solutions for environmentally responsible rebuilding of New Orleans from below the ground up,” according He explains some of his motivations and how he came to work on the project here:

Here is a viral video detailing one of the actual projects that Mel Chin got support from below. The basic idea of hte project is that children from underpriveleged families will come up with a “fundred dollar bill,” in which they draw their own hundred dollar bills, with things that are most precious to them. Afterwards, the “bills” are taken to Washington DC, and asked for in exchange for actual tender as a donation to the citizens of New Orleans, for relief aid.