I really want to try and limit my blogs to discussing marketing issues, but as this is for a good cause that I very much believe in, lets just say its viral marketing experience for me… and it’s back to being relevant…
I’ll be twenty two in a few weeks and that annual question is now arising ‘So what do you want for your birthday?’. I expect I’m getting nearer to the age where people will stop asking so lets make the most of this, what do I want? More sunshine in England, a smaller bum, George Bush to say something sensible, my own castle, less poverty and destruction in the world - hang on… I can do something about that last one!
Last year I had a friend adopt a Bengal tiger for me from a wildlife reserve in Nepal, through the WWF. The funding is put towards helping protect these endangered, beautiful tigers from poachers. Tiger numbers have apparently dropped over the last 100 years from 100,000 to just 5,000.
This year I have asked another friend for fertiliser (the natural stuff) provided by Oxfam to increase the productivity of soil in areas where crops are scarce. I have also asked my dad to buy me a gift through Oxfam - fishing nets. These are given, along with training and other equipment to people from poor communities. I bought him some seeds for christmas for people to plant trees (although he seemed most impressed with the paper tree template that came in the envelope)
These gifts are great as they are available from well-known organisations and a large amount of information is provided as to how the money they are recieving is being spent, which I think is important. Another great thing about these gifts is that they cater for every price range.
Lets get some perspective shall we? If you spend £15 on two mosquito nets you may save a child’s life. That’s also five less beers in the pub this Saturday night which may save you from waking up on Sunday with sick on your clothes, a stinking hang-over and some memories you may wish to forget! If that’s not a good reason to help, what is?
If you can only stretch to a fiver, why not buy two text books for some children in need of education? Please buy a charity gift, if you do it in the next ten minutes you wont forget will you? If you decide to make a purchase, leave me a comment and lets see if you we can really do this viral marketing thing!