MySpace and the Nonprofit Sector

Seventeen Magazine recently announced that it will be sponsoring a contest promoting youth and social activism. The 17 Mission: MySpace/Seventeen PSA Video Contest is unique not only because it promotes social responsibility and involvement, but also because it will be conducted via Seventeen Magazine’s MySpace page. I bring this up today because MySpace may be part of your future, whether you know it now or not. Its near universal appeal among teenagers and college students, a notoriously expensive group to reach, makes it one of the best and cheapest avenues for your non-profit to recruit volunteers or influence the next generation of potential donors.

For those not familiar with it, MySpace is one of the most popular online social networks for young adults. Among other services, MySpace primarily connects people through personal profiles, blogs, email, and groups. Accounts are free of charge and users may interact with one another and update their accounts as they please.

Since its beginnings in 2003, MySpace has become increasingly popular. The website is not only utilized by individuals, but also by a number of emerging entertainers, businesses and even as political campaign tools. Currently, MySpace membership numbers are in the millions. Success may be attributed to many components of MySpace. The accounts are easily navigable and may be used as frequently or infrequently as one chooses. MySpace also encourages networking on many different levels, and enables young adults to communicate with a variety of different people on a regular basis.

Up and coming celebrities and businesses are not the only ones catching onto MySpace. Some nonprofits, like Greenpeace, Rock Your Awareness, and the World Wildlife Fund are also joining the trend. From MySpace accounts, nonprofits can easily and effectively direct attention to any issue, free of charge! Although most young adults are not targeted in fundraising campaigns, a nonprofit’s MySpace page could encourage participation, enlist volunteers, and possibly spark enough interest to encourage future contributions and involvement. By utilizing any one of MySpace’s many features, nonprofits have the opportunity to gain exposure to a whole new generation. 

The success of the 17 Mission: MySpace/Seventeen PSA Video Contest will surely help measure the effectiveness of MySpace campaigns. This particular contest aims to motivate young people to look beyond themselves, and take an active role in social responsibility. The submission process is easily accessible for today’s computer savvy young adults, and serves as a fun way to create a buzz about positive teen involvement. As discussed in the contest description, many young people today are too busy to take action against issues they feel strongly about.

Participants are asked to submit a 15-30 second video public service announcement regarding any social issue they feel passionate about. The issue and message may be about anything as long as the message is an “educational or informative video that persuades, educates or informs an audience regarding a cause or social issue, with a positive theme” (official rules, 17 Mission: MySpace/Seventeen PSA Video Contest.) 

Currently, participants may submit videos to Seventeen Magazine’s MySpace page. Submissions will be accepted until August 15, 2006. A panel devised of both Seventeen Magazine and MySpace employees will judge all submissions. Three finalists will be selected by the panel and posted on Seventeen Magazine’s website. Visitors to the site may be able to vote and choose their favorite. The winner’s public service announcement may be seen not only on Seventeen’s MySpace page, but also on seventeen.com, and acknowledged in Seventeen Magazine.

For detailed information regarding the 17 Mission: MySpace/Seventeen PSA Video Contest please follow the link below.

MySpace - Seventeen Magazine