Oprah is hoping to spread gratitude to half a billion people around the globe with a new viral Facebook game tied to her OWN cable network. The idea is to encourage people to thank someone they know — in real life or virtually — and then click the button, “I said thank you,” which in turns shares it with their Facebook friends. People who play are entered to win a “personal thank you” from Oprah herself. “This is something we’ve never tried before,” explained Oprah. “Let’s see what we can do together. Can we change the world? I think so.”
So does the OWN team expect half a billion people will play? Not exactly. OWN has partnered with game designer Jane McGonigal, who explains that thank you’s are scientifically contagious: one “powerful thank you” ends up reaching 258 people. The Facebook app counts the number of impacted people — thanks times 258 — and displays the spread on a map (below). “We’re creating the biggest gratitude network in history,” explains McGonigal. As of this writing, the counter registers 2,791,302 people (or 10,819 thanks so far.)
“This game is a great way to harness the power of social media to spread the message of gratitude to people all over the world,” said Sheri Salata, president, OWN. “If we can focus on sharing our gratitude with our friends, family and online communities, imagine the shift in consciousness that is possible.”
If we’ve learned anything in TV, never underestimate the power of Oprah. The “Thank You Game” marketing effort is a great match for her message. However, OWN ratings have been weak, and the network is in the middle of an overhaul. We’ll see if Oprah’s massive social presence is enough to fan the flames of gratitude.