Idol Gives Back – Through Text Donations

I’ll admit it, I’m an Idol Addict.  Sure, there is the fascination of the girl next door makeovers and wondering just what Simon will say.  Some of it is just my intrigue to people that can sing.  I have no musical talent whatsoever.  I’ve accepted that it is even best to not sing with the radio, so listening to people that can belt out all the notes on a song they just heard is amazing.
A few years ago, American Idol decided to do more than just send several young singers with a dream to super stardom, they decided to start a fundraiser to give to organizations across the globe.  They got top musicians and comedians to partake in the show and brought in millions in just a few hours.  I was amazed that first year at the number of dollars that were out there to be given just to the basic plea of the show.  Due to the success, they have continued to have their “Idol Gives Back” show every year.  A few weeks ago they aired the show, but there was something new.  This year, donations could be made by a text donation.  How did they do this?  By working with the same partner that ACS Technologies has for mobile technology, MobileCause.  This gave another avenue of giving for those watching the program while it was live, but it was also available for those that had recorded the program for later.  Did it interest people?  Yes!  Almost 10% of the donations made came from mobile gifts.
Everywhere I go, I am reminded of the increasing impact of mobile phones on our lives.  We all know that it has already changed the landscape of how we communicate, let’s not forget about how we give.