Only last week #Kony2012 took over Twitter. One video created the single biggest response that I personally have ever seen from the online world, so strong that there were claims that this was an example of social media’s power to change the world.
A week later it is no longer trending on Twitter, but people are still talking about Kony. If I was in charge of the campaign, this is what I would be doing now.
Follow up on the original hype
With over 72 million views on the original Youtube video it is clear that Kony 2012 grabbed the world’s interest. Facebook, Youtube and Twitter all went crazy with reaction to the video, it sparked passion from its audience and left millions of people wanting to help make a difference. A week later, people are still interested, the original video gained their interest but it is important to follow that up, continue to send information to those people interested about the campaign and what they can do to help. Once you have got their attention, make sure you use it!
Respond to the critics
With the buzz caused by the video came many critics, with claims of Kony 2012 being irrelevant, out of date and the work of privileged foreigners, including critics from Uganda. One of the best criticism, or at least one of the most relatable ones, I read was not directed at the #Kony2012 campaign but at the earlier work of Invisible Children but remains relevant, it came from Ilto blog:
“Imagine that today you heard about what happened in NYC and Washington DC on September 11, 2001 for the first time. You were shown a video of footage from that day. You saw the planes hit the towers, you heard President Bush’s address, you saw the Pentagon wreckage, you watch in horror as you see people plunge to their death, jumping from the burning towers. Now imagine that you are inspired by this disaster. You want to something to help. What if you went to NYC today, expecting to see piles of rubble to clean up? What if you went, expecting that there would be thousands of people in the streets crying, looking for loved ones? But what would happen when you arrived and discovered that there was none of this, but a whole host of other problems?”
Some people were convinced by the story, but wanted to know how they expected social media support to help the issue. People also questioned what was happening with the money!
The best way to respond to this is through being open and honest with the interested publics, and while researching this post I found that Invisible Children had done just that, they created a brilliant video full of information about how the organisation works.
Thank you, KONY 2012 Supporters from INVISIBLE CHILDREN on Vimeo.
This video is a brilliant PR response to the criticism and I think it is important to continue sharing this information with interested publics.
Continue hype over event
An important part of the campaign was the Cover the Night event, the Leeds event alone has 7,500 confirmed attendees, now it will be interesting to see how this turns out. A lot of people signed up in the full buzz of the campaign, but this event has the potential to be an important and exciting part of their campaign. I would work to continue to create a buzz around the event to keep people interested in the whole campaign.
From a strategic point of view, this campaign is in a brilliant position and they seem to be doing everything right at the moment. As long as they continue to capitalise on their current success and develop this to support their campaign then it could be an example of one of the biggest successful social media campaigns.
Related articles
- Who is Kony? (rachelbarkley.wordpress.com)
- Kony2012: New Media Success Story Or Cautionary Tale? (paidcontent.org)
- ‘KONY 2012′ Tops 100 Million Views, Becomes the Most Viral Video in History [STUDY] (mashable.com)
- Invisible Children Releases New Video in Response to ‘Kony 2012′ Criticism (newsfeed.time.com)
- Social Media Lessons from KONY 2012 (buzzom.com)
I find the initial video disturbing, misleading, manipulative and full of white privilege. There was no serious information, no real data and analysis presented.
It was treated more like a rock concert.
Our stand in the video as viewers is a FIVE year old kid…
That’s not how you speak about a very complicated economical and political social issue.
But it is how you attract strong emotional response.
The trouble with the emotional response is… it wears off extra quickly.
The audience is supposedly college educated people… still, the viewer is treated as a kid, with a black/white dichotomy.
Really… brilliant is not the word I am thinking of.
Hi Eneya,
Thanks for your comment. By brilliant I mean they are in a good position as far as any campaign is concerned (I study communications), they have a lot of attention from the media and public. For this particular campaign to be effective they do need to move from the emotional response they used effectively to gain attention and begin to educate people about the subject, with the serious information, data and analysis you mention. I hope this clarifies my position on the campaign, which I am trying to look at from an observational view.
Do you agree with any aspect of the campaign?
Hm, I understand you position a bit more clearly now.
I have serious issues with this campaign to be honest.
My studies involve journalism, media and cultural studies and this video irks me for all of them.
The language and way it is presented as a cultural studies student.
The lack of information and background support, misleading information and unsupported claims as a journalist student
And finally the way it is presenting itself as a documentalistic piece of work when it is not and the fact that these three combined make me utterly uncomfortable. I do not feel good about the idea “doing thing in a bad way with bad tools for a positive outcome”.
See, for me, in my eyes, IC are questionable. I do not trust them because of the stated reasons.
I do not like the way the idea is deleting the agency of the people who live there. I do not like the fact that it is presenting solution via violence (that never works). I do not like the fact that it is presenting itself as THE solution of an issue which is very complicated.
See, when making movies and video… the audience is an intelligent as the video creator allows it to be and thus – states the level of any discussion.
Did the video result in something positive? Well… we are talking about it… which is a good thing?
Did the video present an easy “free good about yourself” kind of attitude towards global issues? Yes.
I do understand where you are coming from. Gaining and keeping the interest of the audience is very hard and tricky thing. However, the question is… is it ethical to put a pass in such a video under the blank statement that it is trying to make good?
“The recent Kony 2012 campaign is great for one specific reason—more people hear about some important global issues. Hopefully, that will empower them to dig deeper into some of the root causes of this conflict and how many outside powers have ties to the violence. Hopefully, it will make them question the way their own purchases, and lifestyles, and governments, and corporations, and organizations, are impacting this conflict and adding unnecessary fuel to the fire. Be the change, as they say.
If we look at some of the different causes of the conflict—the political, economic, social, security, international, regional and local forces that are driving it; that are profiting from continued conflict; that have stakes in the conflict; that will keep conflict going in the region long after Kony is captured or killed—we see that the Kony 2012 narrative is incredibly simplistic. The region’s turmoil is not all in the hands of Joseph Kony. Nor will stopping Joseph Kony completely eradicate violence or child abduction/conscription in the region.”
So… my answer is a bit complicated. i do not have a straight answer here.
My issues with the campaign are not just with the video but a lot more connected with aid and assistance of developing countries and hot it affects the people living in those countries. The impact it has on their social lives and economical structure… the way the view towards the word is shaped. The video angers me in its simplicity and black/white painting of the world. And the campaign is worrying me for failing to address the bigger and more complicated aspects of involving huge emotional orientated financial aid.
Does this make sense to you?
Thank you for taking the time to comment. I really enjoyed reading your opinions. I understand where you are coming and agree with many of your points.
As much as i would love this campaign to succeed, I honestly cannot see it happening. The American government simply don’t have enough reason to invest time and money into stopping this problem. It is a problem that they are most likely already aware of and just because a mass amount of people have brought it to their attention, doesn’t mean they are going to act on it.
The campaign has however, as you stated, shown the power of Social media in todays world. It is fantastic to see the sheer amount of support that this campaign has received simply through a video and the use of twitter. This is a massive step for Social Media.
As a campaign, I believe they are doing everything right, but I fear that it isn’t going to be enough to make a significant change to what’s going on in Uganda.
Interesting Blog!!
Hey Luke,
Thanks for leaving a comment. I really enjoyed reading your opinions!
Oh, come on, do tell more.
Can you speak a bit more about your interpretation? I am very curious and this topic deserves the attention.
Luke, The US already are giving billions in aid to other countries (not to mention actual life force, charities and the like annually adding their share to the mix)… and…
Is it just me who thinks that social issues have guns and military as the main resolution promoted?
sorry, forgot to finish the sentence…
So, is it just me who thinks that social issues have guns and military as the main resolution promoted extremely ill thought?
Because on one hand, I am reading from hundreds and thousand of people speaking about pulling US troop from Iraq and strong criticism about “liberating” countries like that… and on the next minute, we get this?
Really?