**Voices of Hope Productions |THE EYE| February 2024 - NONPROFITS AND GRASSROOTS LEVERAGE MEDIA ::Video Production**

"I believe there's a bigger appreciation now among audiences for documentaries...We are surrounded by so much virtual reality—whenever we see a movie, we know this was a digital effect, that's a special effect. Whenever we see television and the Survivors trying to survive on a Pacific Island—all total fabrications of reality. The photos we know are fabricated by Photoshop. Whatever we see around us is some sort of invented, psuedo-reality and people are starving and longing for a moment when they can trust their eyes again." Werner Herzog, Filmmaker, Storyteller, Grizzly Man
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>>>>CAN NONPROFITS AND GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS AFFORD TO LEVERAGE MEDIA AND MARKETING TACTICS? THEY CAN'T AFFORD NOT TO.
From St. Jude Hospital's successful Thanks and Giving Campaign and their partnership with approximately forty corporations, and Lance Armstrong's yellow-branded LIVESTRONG messages, social and cause marketing are gaining ground. According to the IEG Sponsorship Report, in 2024 cause marketing will hit $1.34 billion, which is a 10% share of all corporate sponsorship. Just 15 years ago, in 1990 cause sponsorship spending was only $120 million.

At the end of 2024 we saw Bono and Bill and Melinda Gates grace the cover of Time Magazine as Persons of the Year. More than ever before corporations are looking for strategic ways to approach their philanthropic endeavors. Rather than just making donations to a variety of causes, they are aligning their philanthropy with their core business interests. Corporations are refining how to engage a wide range of stakeholders: consumers, employees, investors, advocacy groups and government agencies. Increasingly, consumers consider corporate business practices and philanthropic activities in their purchasing decisions. There's no better time than now for nonprofit and community organizations to develop corporate partnerships. How? Plan!

Documentary video stories, people photography, traditional storytelling, video footage archives and cause marketing are an investment. Nothing can tell the stories of real people—real moments in the same way. Corporations recognize the growing role and opportunities these new media technologies, models and distribution outlets offer. Nonprofit organizations and communities need to recognize how important these technologies are, as well, and integrate them into their overall business plans, marketing strategies and budgets. It's also wise to build long-term relationships and programs with corporate citizens; developing a multitude of win/win opportunities.

The perception about using these new media tools is that are too expensive, or time intensive. Voices of Hope Productions will help your organization grow its investment in these tools, economically effectively and with the ability to scale your efforts in a way that's comfortable to your organization, both in cost and time. Voices of Hope Productions will also help you measure your organization's investment outcome.

Organizations interested in adopting these technologies should be strategic in their collaborations and partnerships. They should ensure that the 'right' partner is paired with 'right' project to build brand loyalty, mobilize the masses, affect societal change and create organizational sustainability.

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TV: Independent World Television (IWTnews) Democracy depends on an informed and engaged public and a courageous press that holds power accountable. IWTnews will be a partnership of professional and citizen journalism, producing biting original content and amplifying the excellent journalism found on radio, in print and on the web. IWTNews will distribute and broadcast on television and on emerging media. With the democratizing power of the Internet, IWT will harness the imagination and economic power of millions of people.

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In fact, one group of teens with a particular values orientation appears to be at the epicenter of the trends that define this generation. The report calls them 'Creatives,' a group that is curious about the world, altruistic, and highly open to new and innovative ideas. More than other teens, they enjoy expressing themselves through personal web pages, art, music, writing and designs. Of the teens studied, they view the world as a "dark and ominous place," with only 14% surveyed agreeing "I think the world is becoming a better place." Yet, the number-one attitude of teens polled was "I would fight for a cause I believe in."

The study found that teens have become apathetic to advertising and brands, with only Nike and Colgate leading in the global market in American brand positive ratings. This report highlights that the way to drive American branding is through the connection to corporate philanthropy; having a cause, a mission or making a difference in society. "To stand out, be a brand that matters."

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>>>> L'OREAL YOU MAKE THE COMMERCIAL CONTEST
Cosmetic giant L'Oreal sponsored a commercial video contest on partner VarsityWorld.com's website. Teens from throughout the country competed to produce the video commercials. Judging decisions were made based on originality, marketability and adherence to the product's theme. 5 finalist videos are showcased online in streaming video. Communication High School in Wall, NJ took 5th place. The 2nd place winner, from Oakton High School in Virginia had a clever concept, incorporating a fundraising theme.
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>>>>INTERNET FREEDOM UNDER FIRE
The CEOs of the largest cable and telephone companies are hatching a scheme that would give them control over what content you can view and what services you can use on the Internet. Their plan would do away with the principle of "network neutrality" and shut down the open roadway we've come to expect on the Internet.
If big media companies are allowed to limit the fastest services to those who can pay their toll, upstart Web services, consumers, bloggers and new media makers alike all could be cut off from digital revolution. ACT NOW!

>>>>LIKE THE AD? OWN THE AD
Companies hope to mimic the success of music downloads in offering Super Bowl commercials to iPod, computer users.
Chris Reidy, Globe Staff | Music videos, television shows, movies … and TV commercials? Companies are now designing TV ads to appeal to the iPod generation, hoping people will like the commercials enough to download them onto their video iPods and share them. For the first time, Anheuser-Busch Cos. will make its Super Bowl ads available for postgame downloading at Budweiser.com. The beer giant worked with Maven Networks of Cambridge to create an application that allows consumers to download their favorite beer commercials and watch them on video iPods, laptops, and computer screens. Read Story

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