Schools have reopened after the summer break, and parents are left wondering what to do with last year’s notebooks, textbooks, and other school supplies. They can either donate these items to children in need or throw them away. Wouldn’t it be great if they could make a difference by giving away things they don’t need? Popular detergent brand Surf Excel, in partnership with GuideStar India, a resource for finding NGOs, has launched the ‘Back to School’ campaign. Parents can create a gift box from their child’s used books, supplies, toys, and clothes, and donate it to an NGO of their choice. Over 160 NGOs from all over India are involved in this campaign.
The social initiative is mainly promoted through a simple app on the Surf Excel Facebook page and addresses a common issue many people face. Often, we hesitate to donate because we are either unaware or unsure about a certain social service organization. This app allows users to find an NGO near their location. They can then reach out to the NGO or visit to learn more about the children in their learning centers and their efforts. The app also includes features to share on your wall or invite friends.
So where does Surf Excel fit in here? The detergent brand from Unilever that promotes childhood with its ‘Stains are good’ message, will donate 50p for every ‘like’ on their Facebook page. With a 784,782 strong community, this should be a good deal for its fans as well as for the brand positioning.
‘Back to school’ leveraging the power of Facebook?
Facebook can serve as the potential breeding ground for any kind of community-based activity. This nature often induces it to be utilised for bringing about social change. The network’s social aspect coupled with the capability of sharing your story with pictures and actionable apps, makes it ideal for corporate social responsibility.
The Surf Excel ‘Back to school’ campaign has been well designed. The idea of supporting education for kids who cannot afford them and also growing your community with this message, is a good recipe for a ‘like’ campaign. The Facebook page which was at 600,000 fans in the beginning is now thriving with a growth of nearly 200,000 fans! Also, the two things worth a mention are the use of Facebook’s ‘make viral’ features like share and invite.
Personally, I liked the fact that it is easy to locate an NGO closest to me and visit them too. This could be the vital factor in bringing about trust and willingness to help the NGO.
In the past too, corporates have leveraged Facebook, especially its ‘like’ feature to bring about social change. Join my village, an NGO that works with girls in villages had launched a beautiful campaign ‘$1 for every like’ in the beginning of this year. For every like, a charitable donation of $1 would be made by companies like General Mills and Merck. This January, the online travel company, Expedia had launched the ‘Give them wings’ campaign on Facebook. Here, for every ‘like’, the brand would contribute Rs.10 to a travel fund for kids from Butterflies NGO. In addition, for every 10 shares amongst friends, the company would contribute Rs.10 to the travel fund.
So ‘Like’ the Surf Excel Facebook page, connect with an NGO, take your gift box, and make a real difference. Share your joy of getting back to school!