Murderball & Buzz Marketing

I got an email from an interesting company last week called Buzztone letting me know that Participant Productions is launching a social action campaign called Get Into the Game that uses the documentary, Murderball, to raise funds for the U.S. Paralympics ( Olympics for people with disabilities). If you haven't seen it, the film is about some seriously hard-core quadriplegic rugby players who go to the Paralympics. I highly recommend it.

Campaign participants are encouraged to host a screening of the film, and they can order a Murderball Screening Kit from the web site which includes a free DVD of the movie along with screening tips and discussion points. It's a similar campaign model to the New Heroes House Party that I wrote about last August.

You can see a trailer for the movie here:



You can also donate money directly to the campaign by clicking here. $215 will buy one aspiring quadrapalegic rugby player the wheelchair they need to compete.

What I find particularly interesting about Buzztone is how they get people to "buzz". For example, on their web site you can sign up for:

Murmurz "Thoughts, ideas and rants about marketing, branding, popular culture and everything in between."

The Buzz if you are, "always trying to be the first to find out about the latest and greatest movies, music and entertainment."

Buzzstreet if you have, "the chops and want to be a member of our web or street teams."

And The Hookup if you want your web site to be a part of the Buzz network. You can be,"the first to get at new promotions, contests and content from Buzztone."

I'll admit, I signed up for Murmurz and The Buzz 'cause I like to know about campaigns like this one, which I suppose is why they sent me a press release. They knew I would like it because, "the essence of marketing well . . . is less about pursuing a sale than about creating a customer." By offering content that interests me and that relates to Have Fun * Do Good, Buzztone has made me a customer of their press releases which in turn will help them to do their work. Is there anyone else out there who finds that equation interesting, or am I just a marketing geek?

The quote above is from a review copy of a book I was sent recently, Robin Hood Marketing: Stealing Corporate Savvy to Sell Just Causes. I just started it this morning and will let you know more about it when I finish, but I gotta tell you, I am just happy to see someone writing an accessible book about marketing for nonprofits. In a time where people are being bombarded with organizations to contribute to, nonprofits need more than grantwriting skills to raise money and a good cause to attract volunteers.

Images via Participant Productions and ADVANCE for Occupational Therapy Practitioners.

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