Future:Media:Change

2008 was a big year for online communities. Obama’s online team showed everyone that amazing things can happen when you provide your community with the right tools and motivation. Epolitcs.com has outlined some of the best practices in epolitics, many of which have a direct correlation to the work of nonprofits working in the online sector.

Campaign directors from TckTckTck, 350.org, and Avaaz are hitting the LiveStream momentarily to talk about distributed campaign models. They will look at the success of climate actions this year, like this weekend’s The World Wants a Real Deal mobilization. These groups have teamed up and used technology and media saavy to generate incredible coverage for the movement. Learn how, and ask your questions by using the tag #freshair on Twitter.
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It’s been an incredible day here in Copenhagen with thousands taking to the streets to PEACEFULLY demand a Real Deal from the UN Climate Conference. However, amongst the great signs and startling images, my favorite moment was when a giddy Desmond Tutu took the mic to declare the day a success, and added in his own version of the Dean Scream.
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Advocacy Online recently released their 2009 E-Campaigning Best Practices Guide for 2009. The report contains seven great case studies from nonprofits in the UK, Canada and the US. Each case study includes background information, key learnings, and benchmark numbers and outcomes. You should take a look at entire thing but here are a few quick hits if you don’t have time.

Let’s say you agree with the conspiracy theorists and think that scientists have been making up environmental data for years to scare the public into action. We’re going to cast aside the fact that thousands of scientists agree that climate change is a man made issue and work on the premise that it could be a hoax. Even if on the small chance it’s fake, it is still more practical to do something about the environment today.

Let’s say you agree with the conspiracy theorists and think that scientists have been making up data for years just to scare the public. Even if on the small change you’re right, it’s still smarter to do something about climate change today.

What would happen if nonprofits joined the dark side of marketing spin and psychological persuasion that advertisers have been using for years? Simple, we could save lives. In an article from Outside Online, Nicholas Kristof outlines how nonprofits can save lives by embracing Fox News-eque tactics.

You have a great advocacy campaign, your supporters are activated, your web site looks great, and you get thousands of people to sign an online petition that emails elected officials. But nothing happens, why? A new tool called 2gov will hand deliver postcards with your email or even tweet to your local, state, or federal officials.