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Case Study: A Million Tweets to Remember

Panelist – Jordan Banks, Founder of Sportsfest and A Million Tweets to Remember

www.1mtweets.com

Jordan Banks is the founder of the recently launched Twitter movement called “A Million Tweets to Remember” which seeks to digitally memorialize a million people globally who have suffered from or been touched by Alzheimer’s disease.  Jordan is also the founder and chairman of Sportsfest.

While Sportsfest, a one-day event that raised money for various Alzheimer related causes was Jordan’s first venture, his second venture, A Million Tweets to Remember is a more prominent example of social media generating awareness in online communities.

A Million Tweets to Remember is a microsite that combines and online donation tool, a #1Mtweets Twitter hashtag, and a Twibute section, where people can  leave message about their loved ones and their own experiences, and raise money for Alzheimer Society of Canada in collaboration with the American Alzheimer Association to research projects.

Jordan’s specific goals were to:

•    Gather a million tweets to digitally memorialize people (past and present) who have suffered from Alzheimer’s disease.
•    Raise a significant amount of money for research projects focusing on the aging brain and Alzheimer’s disease.

Jordan made a YouTube channel where he linked to, and produced videos of scientists who research Alzheimers, personal stories of people who have been touched by the disease, and an interview of himself and his motivations to do the project. The site also includes links to resources for those suffering with or touched by Alzheimers.

Jordan’s part of the panel session had some great points that outlined:

•    How difficult it is for causes to grow “organically.”  The “if you build it they will come” mentality must be overcome.
•    Getting celebrities who have been touched by the same issue to endorse the cause (after all, influencers are best able to, well… Influence people!).
•    The Launch is only the beginning. You need to continually stoke the fire.
•    Asking for Donations. Sounds simple, but you should make the ask. In big, bold writing. Jordan was hesitant to at first, but people were requesting to financially support the cause, so he set up a tool for online donations.

And most importantly,

•    You to have to feel passionate about a subject. It needs to compel people to act, either based on the cause itself touching that person, or as a spillover of your passion for the cause.

Jordan’s campaign is a good example of an organic, grassroots campaign to help raise awareness and donations for Alzheimer’s research. The success of his project is yet to be determined, but with his dedication, determination, and unfaltering passion, it’s sure to make a difference.