It’s no longer uncommon to see creative endeavors funded by the crowds. What is unusual about Detroit Soup’s approach, however, is that the funding — and selecting — of projects takes place via a monthly public dinner.

Those in the Detroit area who are interested in participating can simply turn up for one of Detroit Soup’s dinners on the second Sunday of the month. For USD 5 they get soup, salad, bread and pie, as well as the opportunity to hear four creative project proposals and vote for the one they think most deserves to be funded. The money raised that night — typically between USD 600 and USD 900 — is then given to the proposal that wins the most votes.

There are actually several other like-minded efforts in the Detroit area, such as The Dearborn Soup, and there is a guide to similar granting dinners around the world at SundaySoup.org. Social entrepreneurs far and wide: time to get involved!

Website: www.detroitsoup.com
Contact: detroit.soup@gmail.com

Sourced from: Springwise

“STD testing center” seems like number three on a list of “Embarrassing Places to Check in on Foursquare,” but this September, MTV and the geo-location service are aiming to quash that stigma by offering a badge to all those who get tested as part of MTV’s GYT: Get Yourself Tested campaign.

The GYT campaign marks a milestone for Foursquare, which has never offered a cause-related badge before.

MTV launched GYT in April of 2009 as part of a partnership with Kaiser Family Foundation titled “It’s Your (Sex) Life.” The initiative seeks to help young people become more aware of how common STDs are — according to MTV, one in two people will contract an STD by age 25. For more info on getting tested and staying healthy, you can head on over to MTV’s “It’s Your (Sex) Life” page.

The Foursquare partnership encourages people to follow MTV on Foursquare, check in after getting tested and shout “GYT” to their followers. After doing so, users will earn the GYT badge, and thereby make it known that they’re taking control of their sex lives. Those who score the badge will also be entered to win a trip for two to New York City, as well as backstage passes to MTV’s 10 on Top.

MTV and Foursquare have been working together for a while now. Yesterday, we reported that the music network had hooked with Foursquare for the VMAs, and MTV remains one of the most popular brands on the service.

What do you think of this campaign? Will you announce to the world that you care about your health — and that of your partner — via Foursquare? Let us know in the comments.

Sourced from: Mashable!

Gisteren de eerste Tweetneut bijgewoond in de Winkel van Sinkel, in Utrecht. Er waren enkele tweeps op komen dagen die wel zin hadden in een leuke offline kennismaking onder het genot van, in dit geval, een Palm van het vat. Veel gezellige mensen, weinig narcistische nerds. Het was een geslaagde avond en we hopen dit weer te doen met nog meer tweeps op donderdag 7 mei. Inschrijven (als je dat wil) kan via: http://bit.ly/qQwAI

It got me thinking. What is going to happen with authentic ways of marketing with this kind of exposure on the rise? I can imagine that a lot of organisations that are making money of more contemporary wasy of marketing and advertising will have to make a very big transition in order to get with the program in time. Next to these changing environments there will be completely new ways of marketing that will prove to be very competative.

Because of this I started an initiative called Twitvertising whch will be developed over the coming months. It is supposed to assist organisations and people with responsible marketing through social media. It is still in the very early baby step stage. If you feel you can help, or if you have any ideas on the subject, please let me know!Nog niet zoveel berichten geleden schreef ik over de actie van Skittles waarbij ze een widget en Twitter search op Skittles.com plaatsten en daarmee de wereld verrasten als het gaat om het inzetten van sociale media. Dat resulteerde in een zeer grote exposure wereldwijd en zet naar mijn idee de trend voor meer acties van deze soort.

Het heeft me wel aan het denken gezet, ben een beetje ge-skittled. Wat gebeurt er met de meer authentieke vormen van marketing als dit een grote vlucht gaat nemen? Ik kan me namelijk goed voorstellen dat heel veel organisaties die nu hun geld verdienen met marketing en advertising een erg grote omslag moeten gaan maken om tijdig mee te kunnen in deze ‘global shift’. En naast veranderingen zullen er ook compleet nieuwe vormen ontstaan waarvan sommige in potentie zelf een bedreiging kunnen vormen.

In dat kader ben ik een initiatief begonnen dat Twitvertising heet en dat zal ik over de komende maanden gaan uitbouwen. De bedoeling is organisaties maar ook personen verder te helpen met verantwoord vermarkten via sociale media. Het staat allemaal in kinderschoenen dus alle hulp is welkom. Ik hoor graag van jullie!