Intent & action: closing the gap

The Internet has long been a forum for well-meaning people to declare their interests and affiliations – without any real way of being held accountable for them. And since the advent of online dating services and the social networking revolution, it’s become all too easy to claim you’re passionate about everything from Darfur to CFL light bulbs, but without translating those good intentions into action, its just slacktivism.

Culturally, though, we are seeing a tangible groundswell of interest in social causes, so the challenge becomes motivating these caring people to get off their duffs and really contribute. And there are a million sites out there trying to do that with mostly the same model – build a site, drive people to it, and attempt to get them to volunteer. But of course, this last part is the hardest; most people will add the “cause” to their Facebook page and go on their merry way.

Marketing maven Cindy Gallop, however, has developed a way to use social networking (Facebook, Twitter, et. al.) to dole out tasks and hold people to them, creating a kind of currency in social networks that is directly connected to the amount of real, tangible work people have done for charity. And the business, called “IfWeRantheWorld.com,” even has a profitable business model.

It’s exciting stuff – especially considering that we marketing folk don’t always get out there and swing a hammer (and trust us, you don’t really want us to), but we are often looking for some way we can bring our expertise to bear on a good cause. (Witness our recent PSA for the local chapter of the MS Society.) And how great would it be to see “number of tasks completed for charity” replace “number of meaningless virtual friends” as the social networking currency of choice?

Check out the wired.com article about Gallop’s grand plan, and for updates on the progress of the as-yet-unlaunched site, follow her on Twitter @iwrtw.

And hey – let’s go do something to change the world, hm?