Here is my big idea* for a new social media internet platform for large-scale transformational change to help raise money for nonprofits.
[This proposed GREAT! idea needs best-in-class large corporations to collaborate on building and marketing this new social media internet platform.]
GREAT! Big Idea
YouCanCountOn.Us** is an online marketplace for people to volunteer their services in exchange for 100% of the payment – for these services – going directly to the volunteers’ nonprofits of their choice.
Tactics (“Search By” and “Sort” Tactics with some examples)
• Service – Select Photographer within x miles of Zip Code to see price and nonprofit to receive $$$
• Location – Select x miles of Zip Code to see all services available and sort by service, price or nonprofit [Plus, mobile location app]
• Nonprofit – Select [specific nonprofit] to see services and prices to benefit this nonprofit
• Wish List – Select “Wish List” within x miles of y for service you would like and payment offered
• Gift Registry – Register your gift list of services or search a friend’s Gift Registry
• Virtual Services – examples include: design, writing and programming
• Community (“Walled Garden”) – such as a school, church or Nonprofit (with ID/Password) [Implement via Causes Facebook app]
• Price of Service – show all services and sort by price
Features
• Wish List – notification alerts when a “wish list” service is added x miles from Zip Code
• Friend-Get-A-Friend – email notification to buy your service to benefit nonprofit
• Let’s Split It – 50/50 feature: 50% of donation to volunteer’s nonprofit and 50% to buyer’s nonprofit
• Nonprofit Tools – to encourage their volunteers and donors to offer services
Examples of Benefits to a Credit Card Company to Fund and Champion This Idea
• Increase base, share of wallet and usage of [credit card]
• Add value to [credit card] membership through exclusive [credit card] benefit
• Differentiate [credit card] from other credit cards
• Increase transaction size and increase feel good factor towards [credit card] membership
• Generate income for nonprofits in America (Phase 1) and across the Globe (Phase 2)
• Generate social and traditional media coverage for [credit card]
• Build on the success of [credit card] Pro-Social initiatives
Potential Strategic Alliances
• a major online auction site to provide the online market place, including “Buy Now” and auction pricing
• a major online market place for services to offer virtual services
• a major online service provider to enable easy payment solution to 1,500,000+ nonprofits [501c3]
• a major video hosting service to provide online video clips to promote services offered
Marketing
• Launch includes 50-market launch with a local media partner to help reach critical mass quickly (listings and viewers of listings): “You Can Count On Us: Atlanta! Go to (example): YouCanCountOn.Us/Atlanta**
• Nonprofits add a youcancounton.us link to their home page that links to a “walled garden” community of services offered that exclusively benefit their nonprofit.
Backstory
In 2008, private giving to nonprofits in the U.S. was down 6%, reports The Wall Street Journal(2/1/10).
“The once-booming nonprofit sector is in the midst of a shakeout, leaving many Americans without services and culling weak groups [nonprofits] from the strong. Hit by a drop in donations and government funding in the wake of a deep recession, nonprofits – from arts councils to food banks – are undergoing a painful restructuring, including mergers, acquisitions, collaborations, cutbacks and closings,” reportsThe Wall Street Journal. “The nonprofit sector includes everything from universities to hospitals, arts councils to homeless shelters. While all categories [of nonprofits] are suffering, human service organizations – which account for nearly one-third of public charities – may be hurting the most. Private donations to these groups fell 12.7% in 2008, while demand for such services was booming.”
May I Get Your Help?
While this idea can be implemented organically by a non-profit (e.g. a school fund raiser) without the proposed social media internet platform, the creation of this new social media platform will enable all nonprofits to easily “plug in” to leveraging their stakeholders: donors, volunteers and Clients.
*If you think this is a big idea, please give the link to this idea to your friends or colleagues at: American Express; VISA; MasterCard; PayPal, eBay; Amazon; YouTube; justgive.org; guru.com; United Way; The Coca-Cola Company; McDonald’s Corporation; philanthropists and nonprofits (that have relationships with these companies). Short URL to this idea: http://j.mp/99E3kQ. This blog post is about putting a big idea “out there” to find its audience: attract interest, discussion and action. You may be one degree away from a friend or colleague that can turn this idea into action: helping charities across the globe. Thank you for your help!
**Website name reserved as a placeholder; not implemented
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Dan Smigrod is GREAT! Chief Executive Officer & Chief Creative Officer.
A highlight of his 22+ years of his GREAT!Agency implementing turn-key travel experiences include chartering eight jet helicopters to fly a Client’s VIP guests from Las Vegas – in formation – to the Grand Canyon. Land. And, then have a champaign bunch with a former Miss America. Dan’s favorite travel/food/experience TV show is Anthony Bourdain No Reservations on the Travel Channel. Dan lives in Atlanta with his wife, Ann. Email: Dan SmigrodTwitter: @Smigrod
“Please don’t bring home any photos of Booth Babes; and eat a green vegetable,*” said my wife, before my trip to the world’s largest consumer technology trade show.
Over the years – Playmates, Penthouse Pets, Show Girls, Dancers, Models – all photographed with uber-tech-nerd-Dan (me!). Do you notice fewer booth babes at trade shows each year (perhaps because it is a politically incorrect marketing tactic left over from a different era)?
I suppose I should be walking the endless isles of 2,500+ CES exhibitors in search of the next big idea (or big idea inspiration) for our GREAT! television, entertainment and technology Clients – and I do – it’s just that I also enjoy playing our GREAT! newly conceived, Booth Babes Bingo™ game – the search for the top 24 Booth Babes. It was a challenge for me to find Booth Babes. It took me three days of ‘research’ to fill my Booth Babes Bingo game card. Perhaps the recession is causing companies to cut back (gasp!) on Booth Babes! A nip here; a tuck there …
Victoria with Earthquake
Booth Babe Bingo – The Official Rules
Here are our newly minted official rules for the Booth Babes Bingo game that you can use at virtually any trade show:
• politely request a photo with the Booth Babe; it’s okay to be photographed with more than one Booth Babe, but the photo counts as one square on your card.
• be respective of the Booth Babes: please and thank you
• If you are attending CES, you can’t sneak over to the concurrent Adult Entertainment Expo 2010 at the Sands Expo Center.
• You must appear in each photo.
• Fill your Booth Babes Bingo card with 24 photos: 5 down and 5 across. You get the middle square – free. [What a GREAT! idea for an iPhone app: including crowd-sourcing; geo-tagging of all the booth babes.]
[Variations of game play: crowdsource with (or without) teams using an Eye-Fi card (with geotagging) in your camera or upload photos directly from your SmartPhone; require a row (down, across or diagonal) of bikini or blonds Booth Babes; or minimum of five Booth Babes per photo; must include booth signage; or Booth Babes holding a sign that says "I Love Booth Booth Babes Bingo™. Endless possibilities.]
In the spirit of social media, you get to vote for your Top 10 2010 CES Booth Babes based on my 24 Booth Babes Bingo photos (I did the initial research for you!)
Top 10 Take-Aways From the 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show
And, what about the next big idea or inspiration? After all, we are GREAT! IDEAologists! Here are my Top 10 Take-aways from the CES Exhibit floor and Conference that inspires me to think big.
Full HD 3DTV – I LOVED seeing all the 3D demonstrations: particularly Panasonic’s Viera Full HD 3DTV (1080p for each eye). Unfortunately, until the industry can agree on standards – think Blu-Ray versus HD DVD – it will be many years before we see 3D going mainstream in the house. The initial market will be: gamers, gaming and sports bars; and movie theaters.
Ashley and Melissa with XpanD
Walking The Edge – as much as I enjoy visiting the mega booths (Panasonic, Sony Electronics, Microsoft Corporation, NBC Universal), the real excitement are the exhibitors in the low-rent back corners. That’s where you find the real innovation. In the less traveled isles, I enjoyed seeing: a) Mini DV: MD88 in the AEE Technology Co., Ltd. Booth: “The Smallest Digital Video Camera In The World With High Reoslution Image” at half the size of my pinky finger. [It’s smaller than the Muvi Micro DV Camcorder sold by Brookstone. The MD88 appears to be smaller than the Muvi which claims to be the World’s smallest camcorder on the Brookstone website. And, b) Xambox in the Xamance Booth: While OCR- document management is not the sexiest or among the newest technologies, thumbs up to Xamance demonstrating a total turn-key, document storage and retrieval system – that works! [Probably a great solution for law, insurance or other profession that receives many original documents.] I thought I would spend 12 seconds in the booth: literally. I spent at least 15 minutes. [“The Xambox arranges, files, sorts and locates all of your documents whether you have sorted them or not!”]
Toon Me In the Sony booth – I LOVED being transformed into a dancing cartoon character in less than a minute. Simply amazing. (Yes! That was me putting my nearly two years of Argentine tango dance lessons to good use as a cartoon character.) [The experience looked and seemed like the new airport full body scanners. Perhaps in exchange for a full body scan, the TSA could post your video to YouTube showing you dancing through security transformed as a toon. An entertainment meets security experience sponsored by …
Mobile Apps Showdown CES 2010 – My favorite of the 10 finalists is Geodelic (and not because the presentation was insanely great): it browses your surroundings. A “shout out” to Intelius’ DateCheck (mobile) Booth Babes for handing me a blue condom while telling me, “you’ll look great in this. It matches your eyes.” DateCheck’s moto is “look up before you hook up." The mobile app provides personal background checks sent straight to your SmartPhone. Here are the 10 finalists: Shazam, Gwabbit, DateCheck, Truphone, BeeJiveIM, TeleNav GPS Navigator, SPB Mobile Shell, Aha, Clixtr and Geodelic.
The Richard Dreyfuss Initiative – Semi-retired, Oscar-winning Actor Richard Dryfuss was a last-minute, unadvertised panelist during the Up Next at CES session: Creative Convergence: Energizing Entertainment. I enjoyed hearing Richard's vision for teaching ethics, civics and creative thinking in the classroom (even though it seemed off-topic for this panel). [My new media colleague of 25+ years, Gary Arlen, co-produced the excellent CES Up Next at CES sessions (along with Arthur Greenwald.]
Serendipity – Among the 100,000+ people attending CES, I was delighted to stumble upon my colleague of many years: MultiVu (PR Newswire) Divisional Vice President of Business Development Marc Newman (along with his colleague, Jeff Shulman, who shares the same title). For many years, Marc has been my “go to” colleague (behind the curtain) for Video News Releases (VNR); Audio News Releases (ANR); Electronic Press Kits (EPK); and now electronic press releases that include video that Jeff pioneered at MultiVu (Flex Release). Marc is always a great listener, solutions provided, expert, ethical, trustworthy, creative thinker and with a let’s-make-it-happen attitude. Any success I may have had in my career are because of people like Marc providing terrific results for our Clients while making us all look … GREAT!
In the spirit of social media, you can help decide the Top 10 Booth Babes at the 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show. You may vote for up to 10 Booth Babes of your choice from my Booth Babes Bingo photos. You have until December 31, 2010 to cast your vote. (Please bookmark this page so you can check back for the results! A great way to be inspired to play Booth Babes Bingo at the 2011 CES.)
I love working on entertainment technology start-ups.
It’s energizing to be surrounded by incredibly smart colleagues with a laser-sharp, shared vision and bias-towards-action to create and market exciting entertainment experiences.
So when GREAT!was engaged (9/1/09) by ZOOZ Mobile, Inc., a leader in the new and fast growing interactive music space to implement the social media and fan engagement (community) strategies and tactics on an ongoing basis for its iPhone apps, it was (and is) the perfect fit for GREAT!
ZOOZbeat Artist Too $hort
More on the social media and fan engagement strategies and tactics in a moment. First some backstory on ZOOZ Mobile and its new ZOOZbeat™ music app.
ZOOZbeat Music reCreation Studio™
If you own an Apple iPhone or iPod Touch, you can use your own expressive, intuitive gestures with the new ZOOZbeat app to re-mix and personalize songs from a growing list of major label and indie Artists; including: Cato, Easy Star All-Stars, Kutiman, Richard Devine, Street Lotto, Too $hort and Midnight Youth. Select a beat. Select an instrument. Shake, title or tap your iPhone to express yourself musically.
It was only when Dr. Weinberg saw the first SmartPhone that he realized he could bring his thesis to the life as software. “My research focuses on developing algorithms that would allow musical instruments to analyze and interpret a player’s intentions,” Dr. Weinberg said in the Georgia Tech Digital Lounge. “The software interprets the movements and manipulates the music accordingly. With this technology, you don’t have to have a lot of skill or know a lot of music theory to become musically creative. You can just use your own expressive, intuitive gestures to create music that you can relate to.”
Mr. Geller recognized the importance of a social media and fan engagement marketing plan to help achieve ZOOZ Mobile objectives with the launch of the new ZOOZbeat:
Increase sales of Artists’ music (beats) and instrument packs through the in-App Store and at ZOOZbeat.com (from $0.99 to $1.99 for singles and multi-song collections from $2.99 to $9.99)
Increase upgrades to the paid app from the free app
Increase remixed song sharing among friends and the world (viral) via ZOOZbeat.com, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace ring tones and other social media sites
Help create buzz for ZOOZ Mobile apps in support of additional major label and indie artist participation and additional strategic alliances and partnerships in the entertainment space
The Top 10 Social media tools GREAT! implements on behalf of ZOOZ Mobile that have helped generate 1.2 million downloads of various editions of the ZOOZbeat app are:
ZOOZbeat Twitter: More than just building a list of ZOOZbeat Followers, we use Twitter strategically to generate media coverage and engage our fan base of ZOOZbeat Artists and Musicians. For example, this Tweetresulted in this front page ZOOZbeat story by Mashable (which then was re-tweeted 374 times and posted 34 times to Facebook within 10 days of publication by Mashable readers resulting in 909 views of a ZOOZbeat video, according to YouTube Insight analytics. (Plus, other blog sites re-posting the Mashable story and embedded the video …)
ZOOZbeat Flickr: We use Flickr to easily show media and blogs which ZOOZbeat digital assets — photos, screen shots and logos — are available for their coverage of the ZOOZbeat apps.
ZOOZbeat FriendFeed: We use FriendFeed to re-purpose content. For example, when we post a new video on YouTube, FriendFeed automatically generates a Tweet and a Wall Update on the ZOOZbeat Facebook Fan Page.
Live Video Chat With ZOOZbeat via TokBox: We’re experimenting with offering free, live video chat Help Desk using the TokBox super simple blower based service for video chatting. [In the TokBox page, search for: ZOOZbeat]
The huge success of Rock Band and Guitar Hero have shown the potential of interactive music experiences. The ZOOZbeat app takes interactive music remixing and personalization of a fans’ favorite Artists songs to the next level.
I am thrilled that ZOOZ Mobile Founder & Chief Technology Officer Dr. Gil Weinberg and CEO & President Scott Geller engaged GREAT! to help ZOOZ Mobile achieve its goals by conceiving and implementing the company’s social media strategies and tactics. Plus, an Agency also known for its ideation, buzz marketing campaigns and strategic alliance development for our GREAT! television and entertainment Clients, we’re able to add strategic value to ZOOZ Mobile.
Postscript (2/9/10): Social Media and Fan Engagement (community) referred 45 percent of all traffic to ZOOZbeat.com in January 2010, up from 32 percent in November 2009 and 20 percent in August 2009, according to Google Analytics for ZOOZbeat.com. Five of the Top 10 of 318 referring sites to ZOOZbeat.com (11/1/09 through 1/31/10) were: Facebook, YouTube, and ow.ly (Twitter), Hootsuite (Twitter) and Twitter.
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Postscript (2/15/10):ZOOZ Mobile, Inc. CEO & President Scott Geller writes:
Dear Dan:
Thank you and congratulations!
Thank you for all your smart, hard and passionate work conceiving and implementing the Social Media and Fan Engagement marketing strategy and tactics for ZOOZ Mobile’sZOOZbeatand ZOOZbeat Sprite iPhone Music reCreation Studio™ apps.
And, congratulations! After just five months, it’s great to see that the GREAT! Social Media and Fan Engagement (community marketing) efforts referred 45 percent* of all traffic to ZOOZbeat.com in January 2010 up from 20 percent* prior to the start of our engagement of GREAT! on September 1, 2009.
In addition to your GREAT! work on the ZOOZbeat Social Media and Fan Engagement marketing strategy and tactics, I also appreciate your insight, ideas and help in thinking through ZOOZbeat branding; pricing; stategic alliances, product development; product launches; and media relations.
Dan, thank you again for your GREAT!work.
Regards,
Scott
*Source: Google Analytics
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Dan Smigrod is GREAT! Chief Executive Officer & Chief Creative Officer.
A highlight of his 22+ years of his GREAT!Agency implementing turn-key travel experiences include chartering eight jet helicopters to fly a Client’s VIP guests from Las Vegas – in formation – to the Grand Canyon. Land. And, then have a champaign bunch with a former Miss America. Dan’s favorite travel/food/experience TV show is Anthony Bourdain No Reservations on the Travel Channel. Dan lives in Atlanta with his wife, Ann. Email: Dan Smigrod Twitter: @Smigrod
If you are planning an incentive travel experience or corporate meeting in Mexico, add the all inclusive Grand Velas All Suites & Spa Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico to your short list for your consideration. There are not enough superlatives in the dictionary to describe the over-the-top Grand Velas guest experience at the pool, ocean, seven world-class restaurants and Spa. Grand Velas is a world-class luxury guest experience. And, as a travel planner, I love both the service of the Grand Velas team and our Destination Management Company (DMC) that handles our excursions and ground transportation. (More on both the hotel team and DMC below.)
Grand Velas All Suites & Spa Resort, Riviera Maya, Mexico
I love great travel experiences. And, Grand Velas lives up to my expectations.
Everything at Grand Velas is on a grand scale; including the four-story tall open air lobby (in the section of the hotel I stayed), the grand infinity pool steps from the pristine fine white sand beach to the ocean.
The description of nearly every moment at Grand Velas is a delight. Here are some examples (and some experiences that that could use some improvement).
Private Lush Jungle View Suite
To help keep our Client’s cost down, we opted for the open-yet-private lush jungle view suites for our GREAT! team (instead of the pool and ocean view Ambassador suites). Think five-diamond suite in the midst of a jungle overlooking a lily pad filled creek. I loved the bird watching (and listening) during the room service breakfast; graciously set up on the large beautiful private patio. Order the fruit plate served on exquisite china (on beautiful linens). The fruit is presented as art (and all at its peek flavor and presentation). The coffee had a nice, deep rich flavor. I savored every bite of the warm-soft-buttery croissants. Delicious. The definition of perfection. Perhaps only the chocolate Danish can trump the croissant (or biscuits).
Grand Velas All Suites & Spa Resort • Ambassador Pool Suite
The earth tone decorated suite (with native artwork) was among the largest I have stayed in (except the Presidential Suite at a hotel in New York City which I got upgraded to when my room was not available for a guaranteed late check-in). The marble-floor bathroom features a rain shower and huge Jacuzzi tub with doors that open to the bedroom/living room space with an extra-high ceiling. I enjoyed the Molton Brown London “seamoss stress relieving hydosoak” bath salts (even though Grand Velas is a stress free experience). Plus, the Phillips iPod friendly DVD/CD/MP3 player alarm clock let me fill the room with my favorite Argentine tango music while luxuriating in the Jacuzzi tub. The Grand Velas website lives up to its promise of luxurious suite accommodations with premier amenities. Grand Velas has 491 suites.
I only turned on the 42” flat plasma screen TV briefly. A nice digital picture; though not HD. If you’re working an event, as I was, high-speed internet (extra charge) is essential. The Ethernet wired connection was rock-sold reliable. Unfortunately, the wireless connection was spotty in my room. A nuisance; not a deal breaker for a group travel planner. All the power outlets are the same as the U.S.
As I understand it, the Resort generates its own power. The power failed for a split second once or twice a day; which means I did have to re-set the in-room temperature control to the 68 degrees I prefer for sleeping. (Ironically, I was telling friends in their fabulous luxury high-rise Atlanta condo about the flickering power when the power went out for hours! At least the fire exit lights worked!)
For subtle Client branding opportunity, the multi-line phone displayed our Client’s logo and schedule of activities. Sweet. The mini-bar (included in the room charge) was stocked with my choice of beverages. (I drink a lot of sparkling water that can otherwise cost a small fortune when staying at a tropical resort.) Careful not to fill-up on candy bars. Amazing meals await! As nice as my suite was, our guests experienced even larger, ocean-front suites. Many of our Client’s guests said they were happy to spend much of the day in their suites. [Some suites in the jungle each feature a private plunge pool. All suites are at least 1,000 sq. ft.]
The Spa
The Grand Velas Spa includes a huge indoor pool with concrete beds contoured to your body just inches underwater for a relaxing pool experience. If you plan to go to the Spa for a treatment, plan to go 2-3 hours before your appointment to enjoy the Riviera Maya Water Journey (included with the cost of your treatment).
Grand Velas All Suites & Spa Resort • Spa
It’s everything that you would expect in an over-the-top relaxing and rejuvenating spa experience. I went twice to the Spa during our five nights at Grand Velas. Unfortunately, the whirlpool was not working on one of those visits. The Spa is huge; yet cozy. And, the service team is attentive.
Unfortunately, the night we had a reservation at the Frida mexican restaurant, a large rambunctious wedding party had taken over the near-by Sky Bar (and the decibels spilled into the restaurant. I (happily) switched to the Lucca Italian-Mediterranean restaurant.
It’s a bit disconcerting to sign a check for lunch or dinner or drinks, even though it’s all included in the room charge: particularly since the checks are in pesos; the the bill is six times what I expect. My guess is that non-Grand Velas guests dine at the restaurants too, plus Grand Velas needs to track expenses. No matter; it’s all included in the room charge: just let your incentive travel or corporate meeting guests know ahead of time to sign the check and not to worry. [Our dinner for three at Sen Lin was $7,285 (pesos) if that’s possible: which could give your guests anxiety if they did not know the check they just signed is included in their experience.]
Piaf French Restaurant
From the suite to the restaurants to the Spa, it feels like no expense was spared in the design and creation of the Resort. [It may be a Cliché, and that's how you'll feel about your Grand Velas stay.] Plus, the resort sparkles: clean, clean and clean. [Nothing third-world about staying at the Grand Velas.]
At all (but one) of the restaurants, dishes disappeared as soon as I was finished; without any sense that anyone was watching me eat. The only exception during my five-night stay was at the Bistro where many staffers passed our table without clearing an obviously empty plate. I even slid (aghast) the dish to the side to help make it obvious. (Eventually, I asked for the plate to be removed.)
Grand Velas Team
Special thanks to the (very) dedicated Grand Velas Group Coordinator Maria Teresa Banales Vazquez, International Sales Account Executive Bacha Gurgendze and audio visual specialist Hayde Ramos and the rest of the Grand Velas team that work with us tirelessly and graciously behind the scenes to help create magic for our Client’s guest experience. [Including moving one of our Client’s private Welcome Dinner from the beach to inside the beach-front casual Azul restaurant on short notice due to the threat of rain.]
My high school Spanish is sufficient to order a sparking water without ice and with a lime. No need to be concerned about communicating. Virtually all the staff is bilingual; language is never a challenge.
A highlight of his 22+ years of his GREAT!Agency implementing turn-key travel experiences includes chartering eight jet helicopters to fly a Client’s VIP guests from Las Vegas – in formation – to the Grand Canyon. Land. And, then have a champaign bunch with a former Miss America. Dan’s favorite travel/food/experience TV show is Anthony Bourdain No Reservations on the Travel Channel. Dan lives in Atlanta with his wife, Ann. Email: Dan Smigrod
