“Find your Burt”. My local CVS was out of my favorite chap stick and I wouldn’t settle for anything else. I went home, a little distraught that my lips were chapped and typed Burt’s Bees in Bing. “Find your Burt” came up and I clicked out of curiosity. What I found was pleasantly surprising. Their mission was their commitment to The Greater Good. (Wow, I only wanted to order my favorite chapstick). The beeswax they use is part of the making of nature, and they realize that they need to protect their resources. They stress that their contributions are a daily commitment. They even have a goal of achieving zero carbon footprint by 2020. This would be a great achievement, but even more engaging then the facts spit out is the simple link to burtsbees.com to find out more.

In celebration of Earth Day, the site offers to “Burtify” you. You can either use your webcam or upload a picture and the site recognizes your face and morph it you the classic Burt seen on their logo. They also utilized world of mouth. For example, when you’re done you can send it to your friends on Facebook and followers on Twitter or “tell-a-friend”. The site is very interactive with more galleries, videos, and product information that relates to their concern for preserving nature and our environment.

Embed are a couple of the promotion videos. They did a campaign in LA and New York and also create a viral video to show you how to “Burtify”. Kudos to Burts Bees for engaging AND informing existing customers!

Havas is the second largest advertising group in France that features global advertising and communications. The CEO of Havas Worldwide is David Jones. He not only oversees creative and marketing services of a network of 12,000 people and 250 offices, but he is dreaming to do something better. He is an entraprenour and the co-founder of One Young World that aims to be the voice of young people 25 and under of critical international issues including the environment, health and education. It consists of 1000 poineers from 100 countries to discuss the issues in this world and to emerge as leaders in the conference they had in London this February. It is great reminder that agencies are not always advertising a product for a profit, but that the employees are also engaged in world issues and also thinking creatively to enhance our future and view.

Ellen DeGeneres’ show is very successful and creates an image for her that is funny and chipper. Every episode is packed with good vibes, messages, performances and stories and she gets outstanding reviews. Something that sets her apart is that she is gay and married to her wife Portia de Rossi. Late last year, Ellen turned her attention to a more serious side. She posted a PSA video against the gay marriage ban on her website. She writes underneath, “I believe in fairness. I believe in compassion”. It is interesting to me that with all the controversy over gay marriage, that regardless, Ellen still has very true followers. Quite impressive that even people with such strong feelings against gay marriage still participate, engage, and love her show, and have different values.

PETA has great intentions, however, their campaigns are overdone and extravagant. “I’d rather go naked than wear fur” is a newer campaign to gain attention. Khloe Kardashian is captured nude in a photo for billboards. It is important that she is finding an organization that she can identify with. But to be this campaign is somewhat more propaganda than an advertising to promote the cause. Just because Khloe is pictured nude in the campaign also doesn’t necessarily say that she is against wearing fur, or that she is trying to actively convince others of this campaign. The anti-fur campaign was also a part of an episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians on E!. The problem was that she felt uncomfortable shedding her clothes for the campaign. Although risky, it makes me wonder if she really cares about PETA. Overall, I don’t think that this exploitation is the best way to promote a virtuous campaign.

MTV goes on a limb to promote a campaign against digital abuse. Their headline is about ’sexting’ in America, “when privates go public”. This is quite a touchy subject, but MTV usually does a great job promoting to the right audience. Cyberbullying and online harassment is being to be a great concern with our cultures extreme use of technology. Pop culture is including seductive and explicit “sexts” that could be forwarded and eventually regretted. A recent MTV and AP study said that 3 of 10 young people have sent or recieved these nude kinds of “sext” messages and that digital abuse is a serious problem for people of their ages. Beyond the issue is that problem that most do not realize the potential legal consequences or that the “sexts” will come back to haunt them. MTV’s campaign is called a thin line and it is a big concern to them especially because it’s happening to teens (under 18). On the website, www.athinline.org, there are interactive quizzes, stories to share, and a $10 K challenge.

On The Bachelor on ABC they are doing a promotion called “Marry Me Monday”. Jared the Galleria of Jewelry has teamed up with ABC for a commercial ad where some man proposes to their wife during a commercial of The Bachelor. It’s quite adorable and promotes admirable men who are expressing their love to their wives, however, is it going against traditional values of an intimate setting for a meaningful proposal? Regardless, marry me mondays has a website where you can check the status if the lady said yes or not. It’s a great way to interact and gives a good name to Jared Jewelry.

http://www.abcmarrymemonday.com/home/

The Buried Life Trailer

“The Buried Life” is a show that airs on MTV. Four guys are on a mission to do 100 things before they die. They began the tour in August of 2006. They are on a want to enjoy life, achieve their goals of experiencing what they want before they die, and to get others excited and to believe in their dreams. They ask, “Why wait?” and want to have fun and help others along the way. Their documentary started with a loaned RV and a camera. The beginning goal was to document their list of “50 things to do before you die” and to help 50 strangers along the way. By November of 2006 they had met with MTV and by January 2007 Social Media took a part in their journey. Their website lets people posts their lists and talk to each other (theburiedlife.com). Their site is every interactive, having links to twitter, facebook, flickr, youtube, RSS feed, and an easy access feedback link. The website includes their blog, info about the 4 guys, their list, members, and their lists.

The best part about this campaign is the energy they put forth to give back. Tonight’s episode was #95, which was to play basketball with President Obama. Along the way they met 2 men who wanted to relive their childhood memories. Helping them was as easy as bringing them back to lake where they made many summer memories with two other friends, whom the show also brought. A simple dream was made happen along their journey to D.C. They worked on marking one off of their list…as well as someone others. Such a positive and epic idea!