The video follows important storytelling principals, such as the th
More importantly though, the video has captured widespread attention through multiple channels. People have been so moved by the video and story that they are sharing it across social networks, like Facebook and Twitter, by the minute. It quickly made the front page of Reddit, and people have been re-pinning “Kony 2012” images on Pintrest. The mainstream press and niche blogs are adding their viewpoints to the story as well. Bottom line - millions of people who had never even heard of Joseph Kony, or the brutal civil war that the people of Uganda have endured for years are finally learning about it, and listening. Seeing so many people moved by this story and sharing it with all of their friends, family, and colleagues is a beautiful thing. And it makes me feel that collectively we can make a difference. But then reality quickly sets in.
What will all of the 70M YouTube viewers do about Kony, or the war in the region? Will they sign up to Invisible Children’s list? Will these people be properly cultivated and start to lobby the U.S. to get involved in the regional conflicts? Will the U.S. even care to get involved since there is no oil at stake? Are the YouTube viewers donating money to Invisible Children and other relief organizations to support the people affected by the civil wars in the region? According to Seth Godin, the money raised so far “is significantly less than a dime donated (on average) per viewer.”
A lot of discussion around the strategy of the video and overall campaign has arisen too. For example, is trying to “make Kony famous” even the right strategy to raise awareness and generate action on the atrocities that are happening in the region? Why has it taken 26 years to make a video like this? And while the $700K video was well produced and edited, is this the type of large financial investment nonprofits should be making to generate attention around the issues they work on? If it is, the nonprofit community is in serious trouble because very few organizations could ever afford $700K to make a video. And even if they could raise the funds, it’s a huge gamble to take. It’s worrisome that some nonprofits will now think that slick videos with a high price tag will automatically go “viral.” It could not be further from the truth. Very few videos go viral to this extent no matter what budget is spent.
And while we are on the topic of viral, what does 70M video views and lots of “Likes” on Facebook and RT’s on Twitter really get from an organizing perspective? Raising awareness is awesome and a great first step as part of a longer ladder of engagement. But unless these new people are immediately cultivated properly, and remain committed to this issue, Kony 2012 will be just another blip on people’s radar. No matter how the Kony 2012 campaign plays out, this is one nonprofit case study that will be discussed for quite some time.