November 9, 2011
Forward Thinking with YouTube
YouTube is popular platform for a social marketing campaign strategy, especially when you have great video content to share. For our FWD (Famine, War, Drought) campaign with USAID we are leveraging a fancy customized YouTube channel and a fleet of YouTube stars to help spread the word about the unacceptable crisis in the Horn of Africa.
The new, souped-up brand channel (see www.youtube.com/fwd) allows for easy viewing and sharing of all video content. It also offers a platform for viewers to upload their own FWD videos and join the conversation using YouTube, Facebook or Twitter – all of which are seamlessly integrated thanks to the This Moment platform and technology.
When it comes to YouTube influencers, YouTube stars have impressive and devoted followings. We are thrilled that upwards of 10 YouTube stars agreed to create their own FWD YouTube videos to post to their millions of fans encouraging them to get involved.
Here is one of my favorites from Alex Farnham:
Feeling inspired? I thought so. Today is FWD Day and we are asking everyone to join us in spreading the word about the Famine, War and Drought in the Horn of Africa by forwarding the facts on social media. The goal is 13 million FWDs, one for every person affected by this crisis.
- Upload your own FWD video asking friends and family to FWD the facts
- Spread the word on Facebook & Twitter. FWD the facts from www.usaid.gov/FWD or copy and past the messages below:
- Facebook: Getting the word out is as important as important as giving. Today is FWD Day, so FWD the facts to help the millions suffering from the Famine, War, and Drought in the Horn of Africa usaid.gov/FWD
- Twitter: The crisis in the #HornofAfrica is affecting 13 million people. You can help. Text ‘GIVE’ to 777444 to donate $10, and FWD the word. #fwd
- Text GIVE to 444777 to donate $10 to a consortium of humanitarian organizations working in the Horn of Africa OR donate online.
Crisis in the Horn of Africa: FWD the Facts
Many Americans aren’t aware that more than four times as many people are currently in crisis in the Horn of Africa than were affected by the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, and that a child dies in Somalia every six minutes. You can help. You can do more than just donate, you can save lives.
I’m joining USAID and the Ad Council to spread the word and support the FWD campaign to provide food, water and shelter to the hundreds of thousands of starving and sick populations in the refugee camps in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia, where families fight every day to survive.
Here is an image of one of on such survivor, fighting for the lives of her children on a daily basis. Alima Ali Abdi, 37, holds one of her three children as she waits in line to be received at the Ifo refugee camp in Dadaab, Kenya on August 20, 2011. “The journey here was very difficult,” said Alima. Her family walked 16 days on foot from Somalia, and “it was hard on the children.” They were pastoralists in Somalia, with a herd of almost 50 cows and 30 goats. When asked if any of them were left, she said, “They were all washed away by the drought.”
The FWD campaign represents not only the issues of Famine, War and Drought that people in these countries face every day, but also the solution: Forward this message to your friends, your families, your co-workers.
The campaign makes it easy. Go online and use the tools available at www.usaid.gov/fwd where there are resources to help make a real impact in the Horn. Infographics, a campaign toolkit and messaging that can be posted on Facebook, tweeted or posted on your web page can all be shared with just a click of your mouse or a text message. Visit www.usaid.gov/fwd or text GIVE to 777444 to donate $10 to support famine and drought relief in the Horn of Africa.
A crisis that affects more than 13 million is too big to be ignored. It may seem impossible to believe that one person can make a difference, but you can be a vehicle for change by sharing this message. Our goal for today is to have one share for every person currently being affected in the Horn of Africa (a total of 13 million shares). Tweet, post and talk to your friends and family to help spread the word.
Do what I’m doing. Tell everyone. Tell anyone. Do more than donate. Forward the facts.
Filed under: Campaigns, Communications, Federal Government Communications, Social Media
Tags: Ad Council, Africa, Ashley Judd, crisis, famine, FWD, Horn of Africa, USAID
October 26, 2011
Open for Questions: Crisis in the Horn of Africa
Over the past several months, the worst humanitarian crisis in the world has placed more than 13.3 million people across the Horn of Africa at risk – a greater number than the populations of New York and Los Angeles combined. Quickly becoming incomprehensible, the emergency has its roots in a devastating combination of famine, war and drought.
Last month, I announced the FWD campaign to raise awareness across America about this worsening situation.
Please join us this Wednesday, October 26th, at 12:30 p.m. EDT to learn about the steps we have taken to build this campaign by informing and engaging our friends and family in order to harness the compassion and generosity of the American people.
In a special “Open for Questions” event, Gayle Smith, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director of the National Security Council, and I will take your questions during a live streamed event moderated by Jon Carson, Director of the Office of Public Engagement. Whether you are wondering about the famine, the global response to the crisis, or what you can do to help, we will be there to answer your questions.
We will also be releasing special public service announcements on the crisis from some familiar faces. You can submit your questions now through Facebook and Twitter, and during the live event:
Right now, submit your questions:
- On Facebook, ask a question on the USAID Facebook page or on the White House Facebook page
- On Twitter, send questions to me @RajShah or @USAID
Wednesday, October 26th at 12:30 p.m. EDT, we hope you’ll watch and participate:
- Watch live on WhiteHouse.gov/live or USAID.gov
- Ask questions through the White House Live app on Facebook
- Ask questions live with the hashtag #AskFWD
We know that these types of crises are preventable. Through Feed the Future, the U.S. Government is working with partner governments, smallholder farmers, and the private sector to help nations invest in agricultural development to avoid repeating this situation.
The engagement and generosity of the American people have always been a critical part of efforts to combat these kinds of tragedies. However, this crisis – slow in coming – has taken place under the radar of many Americans. Despite the magnitude of the crisis in the Horn of Africa, over half of the general public say that they have not seen, heard, or read anything about the drought and famine occurring in the Horn of Africa.
It is up to us to change that.
Raj Shah is the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
Filed under: Campaigns, Communications
Tags: crisis, Dr. Jill Biden, Dr. Shah, FWD, Horn of Africa, USAID
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