$21 Million Raised by Pressing the Keys on a Mobile Device

The Red Cross was "texted" $21 million dollars in donations for Haiti disaster relief efforts according to this article. This is an incredible development, and it happened on mobile devices.

The Haiti relief campaign has been promoted by both traditional media sources and online social media. However, it really took off in the first couple of days through its promotion on Facebook and Twitter. The report said these donations were texted, so these donations were submitted on mobile devices.

It works like this:
  1. You get notified of the campaign through a mobile Facebook or twitter application
  2. You send a text to a given number and a $10 dollar charge (donation) appears on your mobile phone bill.
  3. You pay your mobile phone bill and the money is transferred from your carrier to the Red Cross

I am amazed at this example of the power represented by mobile communications, social media and mobile devices. I am also intrigued by the e-commerce processes represented by using the mobile phone billing system to collect these donations.

By simply pushing a few buttons on a handheld mobile device you can (collectively) be saving lives on the other side of the planet.

Let's all take a moment to be amazed together, and celebrate the good in these times of pain.

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Author Kevin Benedict
Independent Mobility Consultant, Wireless Industry Analyst and Marketing Consultant
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
twitter: @krbenedict
http://kevinbenedict.ulitzer.com/
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
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