crowdsourcing | storytelling | citizenship
People’s Insights: Volume 1, Issue 1
#Kony2012
Kony 2012 A film and online campaign by the non-profit Invisible Children. The objective: Make Ugandan war criminal Joseph Kony known, to push for his arrest and set a precedent for international justice.
Source : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4MnpzG5Sqc , http://www.kony2012.com/
Who is Joseph Kony? Head of the guerrilla group LRA, Kony enjoyed support earlier but that changed when he began abducting children to become sex slaves and soldiers. In 2005, he was indicted for war crimes.
Source : http://www.bangkokpost.com/tech/computer/284110/who-is-joseph-kony , http://news.discovery.com/human/joseph-kony-120307.html
Most viral video in history The 30-minute documentary crossed 100 million views on YouTube and Vimeo in six days. #StopKony trended on Twitter and conversations were sparked off on Facebook within hours of the video being posted.
Source : http://mashable.com/2012/03/12/kony-most-viral/ , http://facebook.com
Why did the video become viral? The slick, controversial video played on human emotion. It is simplified advertising that people relate to. It pulls the right emotional strings – joy, dismay, shock. Tactical calls-to-action prompted people to share it.
Source: http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/who-is-joseph-kony-why-a-video-on-a-ugandanwarlord-has-gone-viral-183847 , http://peopleslab.mslgroup.com
Celebrity and political backing 20 A-list celebrities and policy makers – who enjoyed credibility, reach and influence – amplified the message on Invisible Children's request across social media and asked people to act.
Source: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/gossip/2012/03/kony-2012-which-20-celebrities-weretargeted.html , https://twitter.com/#%21/justinbieber/status/177639273120530432
A sense of belonging The campaign got people to engage, build a community and make a difference collectively. Invisible Children involved viewers by asking them to sign a pledge, get a Kony bracelet and action kit, and donate.
Source: http://invisiblechildrenstore.myshopify.com/, http://justiceinconflict.org/2012/03/07/taking-kony-2012-down-a-notch/
Kony 2012 a scam? Some said the campaign was misleading, pointing out Kony's six-year hiatus and Uganda currently enjoying peace. Conspiracy theories – funds irregularities and the US' sights on oil in Congo – were floated.
Source: http://www.facebook.com/WTFkony2012 , http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/gossip/2012/03/kony-2012-which-20-celebrities-were-targeted.html
Controversy increased virality The controversy increased the campaign's virality online. Invisible Children rebutted the major allegations on its website, adding another chapter to the story.
Source : http://www.invisiblechildren.com/critiques.html , http://boingboing.net/2012/03/14/uganda-screening-of-kony-201.html
Aimed at the youth The video is most popular with youngsters. Critics said the campaign was targeted at the youth as they are oblivious of world affairs, easily manipulated and more emotionally-driven than older people.
Source: http://www.ourkids.net/blog/kony-2012-youth-positive-activism-social-media-20128/ , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4MnpzG5Sqc
The word gets out quickly The 'hidden agendas' are likened to those alleged after 9/11. It took years for questions to be raised about 9/11, but the youth put Kony 2012 in the hot seat within a week, thanks to the information available online.
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DO73Ese25Y , http://boingboing.net/2012/03/14/uganda-screening-of-kony-201.html
Biggest international viral movement The goal of making Kony a household name has been achieved. Earlier viral movements were mainly local, but Kony 2012 become a talking point worldwide, paving the way for more such movements.
Source: http://justiceinconflict.org/2012/03/07/taking-kony-2012-down-a-notch/ ,
People's verdict and information consumed With doubts about the movement's legitimacy, social media will keep throwing up conversations and information that influence people's stances. Good research is important before picking a side.
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k78xX9uwj-0 , http://mashable.com/2012/03/12/kony-most-viral/
More People’s Insights Weekly reports Every week, we dive into one topic for discussion on the MSLGROUP Insight’s Network and discuss insights and foresights, in three key areas: crowdsourcing, storytelling and citizenship.
Crowdsourcing
Storytelling:
Citizenship
Mahindra Spark the Rise
@MarsCuriosity
#Kony2012
For more reports, visit: peopleslab.mslgroup.com/peoplesinsights/
Read People’s Lab insights and foresights The People’s Lab team shares the insights and foresights from the MSLGROUP Insights Network on the People’s Insights weekly blog and the People’s Insights Quarterly magazine.
MSLGROUP Insights Network
People’s Insights weekly blog
People’s Insights Quarterly magazine
50+ MSLGROUP planners share and discuss inspiring projects on corporate citizenship, crowdsourcing and storytelling.
We deep dive into conversations around one project -- on the MSLGROUP Insights Network itself but also on the broader social web -- to distill insights and foresights.
Every quarter, we will compile the best insights from the network and the blog in the iPad-friendly magazine, as a showcase of our capabilities.
For more, visit http://peopleslab.mslgroup.com
Coming soon: People’s Insights Annual Report In early January 2013 we will publish the People’s Insights Annual Report, in which we synthesize our insights from throughout 2012 and provide foresights for business leaders and change-makers for 2013.
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