Campaign: Second Chance Tree Project
Winner: Converseon & Plant It 2020
While many people are still trying to wrap their minds around the basic logistics of Second Life, the folks at Converseon and Plant It 2020 have bigger concerns: planting cyber trees in the virtual world to promote reforestation, for example.
A Tree Grows in Cyberspace
To reach this end, the team launched the Second Chance Tree Project in Second Life to give potential donors a fresh take on charitable giving.
"It's critical for individuals to not only help, but to virtually experience key issues. It leads to greater education and word of mouth," says Rob Key, CEO of Converseon.
But leveraging the opportunities offered by a platform as off-beat as Second Life required a great deal of strategy to assimilate to the virtual world while impacting real- life change at the same time.
To achieve this, execs built Second Chance Trees Island, where avatars could purchase and plant a virtual copy of an endangered rainforest tree. Then, a corresponding indigenous tree in endangered rainforest regions would be planted in the "real world."
Growing Buzz
Once the platform was established, the PR team spread the word to get people to participate via in-world events, a dedicated Web site and blogger outreach.
All told, more than 10,000 avatars have visited Second Chance Trees Island, purchasing more than 600 indigenous rainforest trees.
Honorable Mentions
Weber Shandwick, Susan G. Komen for the Cure: 25th Anniversary Microsite--In an effort to spread breast cancer awareness, these partners launched satellite media tour and sold Promise Rings online to raise funds, achieving maximum impact and exposure.
Money Management International, Regiftable.com: Really, You Shouldn't Have--To look for cost-saving ideas for the holidays, MMI turned to regifting, or giving a gift you didn't like to someone else. The practice is unpopular, which is why MMI picked it as their focus: It generated buzz and drew attention to saving money during the holidays.
Cone LLC: Alliance for Climate Protection--The majority of Americans already support environmental aid; for the Alliance for Climate Protection, its just a matter of mobilizing them. They used an interactive Web site to make people feel that they can make a difference by making small changes in their own lives.
American Society for Microbiology: MicrobeWorld Video--To enhance the recognition of the importance of microbes and microbiology, ASM released a series of Web videos that present information in a fun format. By using a non-standard platform to discuss science, they reached beyond the traditional audience.