You may not be able to guarantee something to go viral on social media. So why not take something that’s already viral and use it to your advantage? That’s exactly what Water is Life did for their campaign. As their mission states, Water is Life is about impact. And their desire is to raise awareness about the positive impact that clean water could bring to different communities.
You may have seen (or even used) the trending hashtag #FirstWorldProblems. It’s defined as “a relatively trivial or minor problem or frustration (implying a contrast with serious problems such as those that may be experience in the developing world).” So, you’re more than likely to see tweets and Facebook statuses such as “I ate too much and now I’m miserable. #FirstWorldProblems” and “Can’t find my name on a Coke bottle. #FirstWorldProblems.” Instead of sitting back and taking offense to the minor problems people were having and complaining about, Water is Life took over the trending hashtag and used it to create something powerful.
They produced a video that juxtaposed typical #FirstWorldProblems with serious problems that were taking place in developing countries. It displayed individuals from Haiti quoting #FirstWorldProblems. The contrast between the minor complaints and the not-so-luxurious situations of those in Haiti made a strong and clear point: #FirstWorldProblems are not problems. Not only did the video receive more than 6 million views, but it provided over a million days’ worth of clean water to those in need. Water is Life is definitely about impact.
What has been your favorite nonprofit marketing campaign so far? To see more nonprofits making a difference, check out the rest of my series, 10 Nonprofit Marketing Campaigns That Effectively Use Social Media.
