The use of an SMS-based campaign to collect contributions for the “Hope lights flag” (support for youth in distress) campaign has resulted in the unprecedented success to the tune of 750,000 NIS.
The Israeli national flag made of 600,000 light bulbs (see picture) was displayed on the face of the “square tower”, one of the Azriely Commercial Center high-rise office buildings in Tel Aviv. Each light bulb was lit when an individual contribution was received using an SMS-based campaign to gradually complete the largest Israeli flag ever.
The “Hope lights flag” campaign was planned around the Israeli Independence Day and aimed to reach the widest possible audience to aid the ELEM non-profit organization (http://www.elem.org.il) that provides advice and support to youth in distress.
The “Hope lights flag” campaign was carried out as an entirely voluntary initiative by the Israeli cellular operators in partnership with Cellact which provided the technological platform. During the campaign which continued through April 2007, mobile users could send a 10 NIS contribution to ELEM using a set number and phone number code (10 and 2747). The cellular operators then forwarded the contributions to Elem.
ELEM reports that during the year 2006 alone 41,000 youths visited its country-wide information centers; 130, 000 youths visited the organization’s website; 30,000 youths used the mobile ELEM centers and 400 homeless youths were helped through the “Someone to run with” and “Life Buoy” assistance centers.
According to Eldad Bronshtein, the Community Relations Manager at Cellact, Cellact believes that the abilities of the cellular technology and media can contribute to community centered activities. He says: “Our technology supplies solutions for immediate and interactive communication via SMS or MMS for cellular-based campaigns. During the past years, Cellact’s Mobile Messaging solutions have successfully served several annual charity campaigns, such as the contribute-by-ringtone-download campaign for “Children in Distress”, the Yomtov Telethon which also raises money for children in need, the Israel Cancer Association (ICA), and ELEM’s “Hope lights flag’. “
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