Target Targets Facebook to Help Charities
Shopping destination Target has launched Bullseye Gives, a two-week-long
giving campaign on its Facebook Page that will run from May 10 through
May 25, 2009. It’s giving $3 million a week to support charities in the
U.S. Other retailers are also active on Facebook.
Target
is asking all Facebook members to visit facebook.com/Target to make a
choice and decide how 10 American charities will receive a portion of
Target's $3 million in weekly charitable giving.
The
charities are American Red Cross. Breast Cancer Research Foundation,
Feeding America, HandsOn Network/Points of Light, Institute Hospital,
Kids In Need Foundation, National Park Foundation, Operation Gratitude,
Parent Teacher Association, St. Jude Children's Research, and The
Salvation Army.
Today,
many retailers are finding new ways to attract consumers because
traditional ads on
social networks have mostly failed to
draw attention. Pizza
Hut, for example, is using Facebook Platform for selling food
while others like Best Buy and Wal-Mart have started Facebook pages to
woo buyers. A
Rosetta social media study said in
January that 59 of 100 leading retailers have a fan page on Facebook.
As most
social networks are struggling to make
some meaningful money, it's good for them to open their doors for such
marketing campaigns.
According to research firm IDC, ads on
social networking services (SNS) have lower click-through rates than
traditional online
ads and they also lead
to fewer purchases.
The
research firm says that social network users are less receptive to
advertising. According to its survey, advertising does not factor into
consumer motivations. In fact,
users are less tolerant of social networking
advertising than the best tolerated forms of online
advertising.
Ads on
social networking services have lower click-through rates than
traditional online ads (on the Web at large, 79% of all users clicked on
at least one ad in the survey year, whereas only 57% of SNS users did),
and they also lead to fewer purchases (Web: 23%; SNS 11%), says IDC.
Now,
Target is using Facebook to promote its brand through this campaign.
According to Target, the
percentage of votes per charitable organization will correlate to the
charities' portion of the $3 million. All votes and dollars allocated
will be updated in real time on the Target Facebook Page during the
course of the contest. Site visitors can vote once per day, every day,
throughout the contest. The final charitable donation allocations per
charity will be announced on May 26.
As an
additional service to participants through Bullseye Gives, Target will
also help to connect voters with service and volunteer opportunities in
their local communities. Through its partnership with VolunteerMatch, an
organization that offers an array of programs to support community and
civic service 365 days a year, voters will be able to find local causes
that matter to them most.
"Bullseye
Gives is an incredible opportunity for us to continue to engage Target
guests and the online community," said Laysha Ward, president, community
relations, Target. "This is a unique way to help raise awareness of the
important work these deserving charities do and increase localized
volunteerism nationwide."
Since
1946, Target says it has given 5% of the company's income to
support education, social services, the arts, and volunteerism. Today,
that 5% adds up to more than $3 million a week, it says.
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