Check in, Tweet, and Update to Get Obama to put Solar Panels on the White House
A new advocacy group is on the social networking scene, and this one has its sights set on a high-profile target: The White House. Solar on the White House’s Power the House campaign is calling on solar advocates to use their Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and FourSquare to show support for the initiative to see solar panels on the White House. This campaign goes further than just a simple social network call to action by creating a game out of advocacy in an attempt to entice users with points, prizes, and recognition.
The ultimate goal of Power the House is to get enough signatures on a petition to see solar panels on the White House, sending the petition letter to President Obama when it is complete. To achieve this, Power the House was created to offer incentives for people to spread the word about the petition on their social networks.
The idea is simple: each day, users can earn points by sharing the petition link on Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter; referring friends to play Power the House; becoming a fan of the movement; and completing daily solar “missions” from their Power the House profile page. The points that players earn are added up and displayed on a leaderboard. At the end of the campaign, the person with the most points will win recognition on the official newsletter, as well as some solar powered merchandise.
Advocacy campaigns have recently found new legs on social networks. Greenpeace has used online activism to protect rainforests, Youtube recently partnered with WITNESS to promote human rights, and this spring Social Innovation Camp helped budding social activists in Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia set up advocacy networks in just 48 hours.
The Power the House campaign is a refreshing use of social networking to promote a cause. It builds on the sense of competition that is inherent in us while working towards a high-profile sustainable energy solution. Who wouldn’t want to win some cool solar powered prizes while helping to spread awareness of the benefits of solar power? Appealing to our love of games and winning is a great way for advocacy groups to raise their profiles on the social web.
