Talk is Cheap – Commitment is Not

January 8, 2011

Getting consumers to do anything only happens when you understand what people value in you–what they can’t live without from you.

Hollywood missed that memo when they came up with a new fundraising technique. Someone thought a celebrity social media black out would cause such withdrawal that people would pay for their favorite stars to resume their online chatter. Celebrities went silent in a “digital death” movement to raise $1 Million for the Keep a Child Alive charity. Pop figures like Kim Kardashian and Justin Timberlake vowed to stay silent until they reached their goal.

The response was underwhelming because frankly their fans were too busy tweeting or living or something. Five days later, and no doubt suffering their own withdrawal, the celebs were saved from their silence by a $500,000 matching donation from millionaire Stewart Rahr. Hollywood thanks you Stewart.

So where did they go wrong? They didn’t “withhold” the very things their fans value most. If your favorite celeb stops acting, singing, competing in his sport, dancing…then you might have a problem. If your favorite celeb is coming to your town but puts their performance on hold until a given figure is met…it might move the fundraising needle. (If you can avoid being branded as an extortionist.) At the very least you’d be linking the FUNDRAISING and the ultimate REWARD to your MAGIC.

There is NO SHORTAGE of chit chat online. There is NO SHORTAGE of information, talk, imagery, exposure, opinion. Talk is cheap. True customer value is not.