NSPCC benefits from huge Facebook cartoon campaign

[denny]

A spontaneous Facebook campaign resulted in the NSPCC gaining 50,000 new supporters and around £100,000 in donations in just 48 hours. The number of visitors to the children’s charity’s website also shot-up up by 500%.

It’s not clear how the campaign started but people were urged to change their Facebook profiles to a favourite cartoon character as a sign they were in favour of ending violence against children. Very quickly, many also added messages of support for the NSPCC, some pledging to double amounts of money being raised.

As the campaign spread worldwide from last weekend it has resulted in:

· The NSPCC’s Facebook supporter base increasing from 65,000 to 115,000.
· Over 200,000 visits to the charity’s website.
· Total donations of £100,000.
· Thousands of people setting up Just Giving pages in support of the NSPCC.
· One supporter pledging to double £10,000 raised.
· Media and online enquiries and coverage from across the world.

Paul Amadi NSPCC director of fundraising said: “The speed, scale and impact of the campaign has been quite astonishing - an avalanche of support and donations from people across the world.

“Social networking campaigns can have amazing reach and while the NSPCC was not behind this particular activity, we have been able to attract many new supporters which will help us in our work to end cruelty to children in the UK.”

[ NSPCC press release, 13th December 2010 ]

Comments

[katieastrophe]

Still unimpressed with the whole thing. I mean, it's great that it's raising awareness, really! But given the NSPCC's record, I'd far rather see the support going to a charity that doesn't produce sexist adverts despite criticism and delay kids getting help. (And frankly, I'm amazed that you appear to condone that, and are okay with silencing people when they bring it up.)

[denny]

I deleted your first comment on Facebook because I was in more than enough arguments about various things that day and I decided I couldn't cope with another one. It's my virtual space, I can manage it (and the way it impacts on my emotions) as I choose.

I did respond to you on the subject the next day on Twitter, and I've said nothing to condone the things you're talking about. All I've done all along is maintain that an awareness-raising campaign is a Good Thing ™ - which many people argued against in an irritatingly cynical and superior way at the time, so I'm pleased that they've been proven so comprehensively wrong.

I did also speak briefly in favour of Childline, but you seemed to support that as a standalone concept (although I'm not sure how you think Childline would exist without the organisation that runs it).

[sevenhelz]

Can't say I've seen the adverts you speak of, but having fundraised for The Children's Society - who deal with so much greater a range of problems! - I'd far rather the attention was going there instead.