1. THINKSOCIAL awards
November 19, 2009
THINKSOCIAL
at THE PALEY CENTER FOR MEDIA

2. 2009 Award Winners
Here are the profiles of the KIVA Badges and Banners:
inaugural ThinkSocial Award http://www.kiva.org On the brand marketing side, Kiva has a
winners. The awards recognize host of tools, including embed-friendly
individuals, initiatives, and Description: banners that showcase a di erent
institutions which have used Of all of the talk today about entrepreneur every time a page is
microfinance-meets-the-internet, and the refreshed, for example, and Kiva badges
social media in the public
di erent donation sites that have sprung for social network profiles.
interest through global
up, early innovator Kiva arguably remains
collaborations to solve the market leader. Kiva partners with Accomplishments:
problems. We chose “global “field partner” microfinance institutions (Figures as of November 15, 2009. Figures
collaborations” as a theme that give money to entrepreneurs around are updated daily on Kiva.org.)
the world who need aid; entrepreneurs,
since we are recognizing this
who are profiled on the Kiva site, range ! $101.58 million loaned thus far through Kiva
inaugural class of ThinkSocial
from a seamstress in Ghana to a food
Award Winners during the ! 591,979 members in the lender
producer in Vietnam. Supporters can
Paley Center’s International community
make micro-donations through Kiva’s
Council Conference. A terrific online platform. And members of the ! Benefitting 253,871 entrepreneurs,
community who want to get more in the form of 144,878 loans, through
group of Honored Jurors and the
involved can promote Kiva’s mission 104 field partner institutions in
ThinkSocial online community
through its campaigns on major social 49 countries.
helped us select 33 nominees media channels, join lending teams
and four Award or Special to help drive donations, or apply to Tools and utilities being used:
Commendation Winners. become a Kiva fellow and work with the
Kiva directs its social media outreach to
microfinance institutions directly.
four major platforms/networks: Twitter,
Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Key social media features:
ThinkSocial Awards ENTREPRENEUR AND LENDER PROFILES: “I work with a zero-dollar marketing
Cochair Sponsors Part of Kiva.org’s appeal is the amount of budget,” Bocci says. “Fortunately it’s
data it makes available. pretty safe to say that all of us have the
potential to reach such a large online
! The home page has a gallery of audience through social media.”
featured entrepreneurs, and clicking
on a profile takes you to a full Strategic points from social media
description of the entrepreneur and strategy:
his or her business, as well as details Kiva uses social media channels to create
The Loreen Arbus about the specific loan and the field more awareness about Kiva, from a
Foundation partner involved. marketing and branding perspective.
! There’s also a “community” section Social media allows the organization to
with information about fellow lenders keep supporters and lenders in the loop,
on Kiva—figures for average number and enables crowd-sourcing projects.
of loans per member and total amount
loaned are available here.

3. 2009 Award Winners
Lessons learned from social media Examples of other related initiatives: (where you can host charity badges
strategy: and widgets), TypePad, Word Press and
DonorsChoose, http://www.
From Kiva’s activity on its targeted social Blogger. On Facebook, for example, you
donorschoose.org - DonorsChoose
media channels, Bocci says, can do activities to make donations,
connects potential supporters to
receive updates from your charity and
classrooms in need, enabling monetary
“It’s okay to let the conversation happen” track your progress, as well as manage
donations that turn into school supplies
(about what members of the Kiva your entire SocialVibe account from
and education field trips.
community may say on other websites, Facebook.
blogs and so forth). “It can be hard for Samasource, http:www.samasource.org
us to sit back and just listen, but almost - Samasource connects supporters to Accomplishments:
inevitably, there is a balance struck online women, youth and refugees who receive ! SocialVibe has donated “over a million
when we let our users talk something aid in the form of computer-based work. dollars to charity, and all of it by
through.” Instead of monetary aid, Samasource turning brand-advertising dollars into
looks to provide jobs. donations for causes,” founder Joe
What’s next: Marchese says. “We’ve dug wells with
“We want to have more competitions charity: water, donated malaria nets,
SocialVibe
and contests, which is something we’ve delivered AIDS treatment drugs. ...
http://www.socialvibe.com
touched on a little bit, using social media We’ve been able to activate more than
to help do this,” says Bocci. Members of a million people, but tens of millions of
Description:
the Kiva community will be able to submit people have been reached, both brands
SocialVibe connects people who
videos, based on a set of guidelines, in and the charities.”
want to generate donations and raise
a contest to explain how Kiva’s model
awareness for the charity of their choice ! More than 40 charitable organizations
works.
by supporting brand sponsors, through supported so far through branded
branded activities such as host click- activities, including Invisible
Testimonials:
to-help badges on their social network Children, Children for Children and
From the Think Social Awards jurors: profiles. SocialVibe takes a portion of DoSomething.org.
the advertising dollars from traditional
Stephanie Agresta, ! More than $46,000 donated to
advertising budgets, and directs it instead
“Anyone with an entrepreneurial spirit classrooms in the United States
to these branded online activities in
and $25 can become a venture capitalist through various projects.
support of charities. Members of the
for the human soul. Kiva got going so
SocialVibe community aren’t donating
early and deserves huge praise for the Tools and utilities used:
out of their own pocket, and the brands
work they have done to make everyday Besides the Socialvibe.com platform,
are simply spending money they would
individuals feel CONNECTED to change. SocialVibe also is active on Facebook,
have otherwise spent—but now with
Their site tells many stories well and MySpace, Twitter, TypePad, Word Press
charitable action linked in.
provides a call to action so clearly that and Blogger, as its main outside social
you can see how people can get addicted media channels.
Key social media features:
to giving.”
ON the SOCIALVIBE PLATFORM: The
Strategic points from social media
From the voting public: SocialVibe website itself lets users share strategy:
stories, photos and comments, and
User “leslievang,” On social media in general, Marchese
connect with each other in forums.
Kiva doesn’t just give people a fish, it gives says, users in today’s 2.0 social media
them a fishing pole so they can catch their OTHER NETWORKS and PLATFORMS: You world want to engage, interact and
own fish. “A wonderful organization with can also engage in SocialVibe activities personalize—”the last step is so
the right idea!” on several social networking/social media important,” he stresses.
sites, including Facebook and MySpace

4. 2009 Award Winners
Lessons learned from social media Examples of other related initiatives: and in part to ensure that “the first
strategy: blogger to die in prison be the last.” Its one
How else are big brands looking to help
“All social media companies end up a of several campaigns that have sprung
their customers do good?
reflection of what consumers want,” up in support of bloggers’ rights and
Marchese says. “You don’t control it—your ! For two weeks in May of this year, protections.
best bet is to partner with people and let retailer Target took its “Bullseye Gives”
it take the direction that your consumer campaign—which donates about 5% of Key social media features:
wants. When we first started, we were what it makes, or $3 million, to charity VIDEO / ANIMATION: March 18 has
solving the problem of advertising. each week—onto Facebook, asking distributed an animated video on
We allowed people to shape what we Facebook users decide how to allocate YouTube, a call to action in support of
became; what we are today are simply the funds. bloggers.
what people are passionate about. A large
! O ce supply giant Staples, in
portion of our charities came in because MIDEAST TWEETS: Mideast Youth’s
partnership with DoSomething.org,
enough people told us about them ... the “Mideast Tweets” utility tracks what people
encouraged back-to-school shoppers
same thing with some of our brands.” all over the region are Tweeting about.
to also buy supplies for students in
need, allowing customers to buy and
What’s next: Accomplishments:
donate extra supplies at checkout.
Marchese says SocialVibe next wants ! Mideast Youth director Esra’a Al Shafei
to explore how major media companies won a Berkman Award for Internet
The March 18th Movement
can help their viewers do good. The Innovation (Harvard’s Berkman Center
& Mideastyouth.com
company is also working with some for Internet & Society) for her work
http://www.mideastyouth.com
earlier established social media platforms, with the interfaith youth network.
http://www.march18.org
including instant messaging. Says
Marchese, “There are lots of places where Tools and utilities being used:
The movement to memorialize persecuted
people willing to take action.” bloggers and advocate for their rights and Still a relatively young initiative,
protections, as symbolized by the Mideast March18.org asks supporters to join them
Testimonials: Youth Foundation’s March 18 Movement and by following the movement on Twitter,
late Iranian blogger Omid Reza Mir Sayafi. Facebook and the movement’s blog. The
From Think Social Awards jurors:
movement has created a viral video about
Catherine Geanuracos, Description: its message, shared on YouTube, and is
“I think it’s important to recognize people currently at work on a new one. Parent
On March 18, culture blogger Omid
who are creating new social venture organization Mideast Youth is much more
Reza Mir Sayafi died in prison after
models that go beyond traditional charity entrenched in social media, featuring
being sentenced to two and a half years
/ aid models to involve corporate partners utilities like “Mideast Tweets” where
in prison. He had been charged with
and traditional marketing budgets.” members of the community can see what
insulting religious leaders and spreading
people are saying all over the region.
propaganda about the Islamic Republic
From the voting public:
of Iran.
Strategic points from social media
User “Amber,” strategy:
Mir Sayafi’s death under mysterious
“It’s such a quick and easy way of helping
circumstances—and the whys and hows Mideast Youth also has campaigns to free
people! Only a few clicks a day, and I can
of a blogger being jailed in the first bloggers in di erent countries, including
help fund education, cancer research,
place—prompted outcry by members of “Free Kareem,” a campaign to free an
etc. There’s so many di erent causes
the international community, followed by Egyptian blogger that has inspired rallies
to choose from; no matter what you
action. The March 18 movement started in Washington D.C. and Switzerland in
support, you’ll find way to help it on
in part as a memorial to Mir Sayafi (with front of the U.S. Congress and Egyptian
SocialVibe.”
March 18 noted as a day of remembrance), embassy, respectively.

5. 2009 Award Winners
Lessons learned from social media Examples of other related initiatives: Think Social Awards
strategy:
! Committee to Protect Bloggers
special commendation
“I don’t think a campaign can be spreads news about “attacks,
formulated as mathematical formula, but intimidation and oppression of
Amanda Rose
it depends on what tools are available to bloggers.” It also promotes tools
http://www.twestival.com
you,” Petrossian says. and guides that promote safety for
bloggers, and teach them how to avoid
Description of work:
What’s next: censorship; and it raises legal funds for
bloggers in need when necessary. Great social technology is one thing,
Petrossian says the March 18 movement
but being able to harness it is another.
is working with free expression ! Global Voices aggregates and curates Twestival—a series of o ine events for
organization Article 19, and other human online media worldwide, tracking charity, organized by volunteers in cities
rights organizations, to organize virtual videos, photos, stories, tweets and just around the world via Twitter—is the
meetings to mark the date March 18. about anything else circulated online brainchild of Amanda Rose, Canadian
about bloggers’ protections and other social entrepreneur and social media
Testimonials: human rights causes. consultant.
From the Think Social Awards jurors:
! Reporters Without Borders, long-
The first o cial Twestival Global, which
Mahyad Tousi, established defender of journalists’
took place February of this year with
“Bloggers have transformed our media freedoms, has been active in spreading
200-plus cities participating in di erent
landscape for the better. Bloggers who the word about persecuted Iranian
events, raised more than $250,000 for
risk their lives to tell their stories and that bloggers and similar news in other
charity: water. The first o cial Twestival
of their fellow citizens, are an invaluable countries.
Local, which took place September of
asset not only to their communities, but ! Vietnamese reform party Viet Tan runs this year with 130 participating cities,
also for global community whose fate is an online bloggers’ rights campaign, translated the approach to single cities
connected more and more each day. The encouraging supporters to petition and their local causes, raising $460,000
events in the aftermath of the elections in politicians to support a Vietnamese for local charities and at specific
Iran proved once and for all the potency internet freedom resolution and to fundraising targets.
of citizen journalist/bloggers and their write snail-mail letters to imprisoned
online networks in fighting tyranny.” Rose is a student of social media, in the
bloggers to show solidarity.
most literal sense: She wrote her masters
From the voting public: dissertation about Twitter, exploring
Jürgen Habermas’ idea of the co ee shop
User “Grace Cha,” as a public space. It’s the hypothesis
“I vote for this one not just for the struggle of “Twitter being a bar where you can
for human rights & democracy in Iran, have multiple conversations going on.
but also for freedom of speech & press in It worked out that it’s not the perfect
general. We are seeing the threats of our situation for Habermas’ theory ... But it
newfound freedom on the internet to gave me the opportunity to meet a lot
make our voice heard. Throwing someone of people, see how they use Twitter, and
into prison for a blog must be the most how they see it moving.”
ridiculous thing a braindead tyrant can
do to mu e out voices he doesn’t want
Key social media use:
to hear.”
TWITTER and TWESTIVAL.COM: Twitter
was used as the main communication
tool. Twestival.com streams a Twitter
feed of what di erent volunteers are

6. 2009 Award Winners
saying about Twestival events. The website Strategic points from social media
also features on online toolbox, that links to strategy and lessons learned: Contact
other resources for organizers, including an “[A]part from the fundraising that Twestival We’re always interested in
online meeting site. does,” Rose says, “by bringing people connecting with people who are
together o ine in their communities and passionate about social media
FACEBOOK: Twestival was not as active
their network, people are inspired to keep
on Facebook—again, the main vehicle was and its potential for social
doing things in their communities. It starts a
Twitter—but planning for Twestival Global will change.
positive habit.”
involve greater presence on Facebook, Rose
says, as part of an e ort to better utilize other If you would like ThinkSocial to
Testimonials:
social media channels. feature you or your organization
From the Think Social Awards jurors: on the site, please email us.
Accomplishments:
Ian Schafer,
! More than $250,000 raised for “Loved Twestivals because it used online Jamie Daves
charity: water, from Twestival Global, media to organize, but the real world to Executive Director, ThinkSocial
with 200-plus cities participating. execute, making it feel bigger in the process. jamie@think-social.org
! $460,000 raised for local charities around Its ability to spread globally at an almost think-social.org
the world, from Twestival Local, with 130 impossible speed was staggering. You could twitter.com/jamiedaves
cities participating. feel the excitement and energy—and the +1 650 906 0202
sheer will of the organizers to do something
! 100% of money raised went to charity. special.”
Toby Daniels
! “We got probably 50 charities from Twestival
What’s next: Director, ThinkSocial
Local onto Twitter and Facebook and things
toby@think-social.org
like that,” says Rose, where previously The next Twestival Global takes place
think-social.org
they weren’t active on those platforms or March 25, and will benefit a yet undisclosed
twitter.com/tobyd
networks. “We’re trying to dip their toes in charity, to be named early December.
+1 347 602 1244
where once they were afraid.”
“Education is the overall theme. I’ve got a lot
Tools and utilities being used: of responsibility now, a lot of stakeholders
and charities that want to put their hat in
“The main way we were organizing [Twestival]
the ring ... Education is a big, broad topic, but
was using Twitter,” Rose says. “We did this … to
there’s going to be input from all organizers,”
generate buzz and excitement about what was
says Rose.
happening, and to generally get the word out
and crowd-sourcing or reaching out to people
There will be a greater push to expand
to get involved and actually volunteer.”
Twestival activity in other social media—not
less focus on Twitter, but just more focus
Twestival organizers also used other social
on “more YouTube, more Facebook, more
media tools and networks, including Google
Paypal, more all kinds of things, and not just
resources like Google Groups, Skype, Facebook
the American sites. I’m going to be having
and a Word Press-powered Twestival.com site.
conversations with social media platforms all
“When you’ve got over 115,000 volunteers, over the world, seeing if they want to get the The Paley Center for Media
people are just going to use what they’re message out, seeing if they want to donate 25 West 52 Street
going to use” or what platform they know their home page.” New York, NY 10019
best, says Rose of her experience organizing 212.621.6800
Twestival Global. paleycenter.org
twitter.com/paleycenter