"LonelyGirl" almost gets it right for poverty campaign

Give them credit for trying. The United Nations has enlisted Web phenom "LonelyGirl15" to promote the anti-poverty Millennium Campaign. Or rather, their ad agency, Y&R enlisted her.

In case you've been living in a cave with no wi-fi, LonelyGirl15 is a young lady who recorded a series of videos (posted on YouTube) in which she, with ditzy, self-important charm, "disproves science" among other things. Turns out she wasn't a "real" teenager, but an actress working from a script. Even so, she's famous, big time.

Read about what she's up to know on behalf of the UN in the Wall Street Journal: U.N. Enlists Internet Star 
for Antipoverty Pitch.

And see her video here.

Okay, pretty cool. They're using the internet in an interesting, viral way. Could work.

But they don't quite pull it off.

The main reason: LonelyGirl15 doesn't sound like her usually loopy, amusing self in this video. In fact, she sounds just like she's reading a script that's been kicked around by a committee of people with competing agendas and wooden ears -- and believe me, I know what that sounds like. (Read also Fundraising's death by committee.)

It comes to a head when she pouts, "We're not asking for charity; we're asking for justice." Huh? Who's "we"? It's the usual nonprofit-speak. The inhuman-sounding blather that comes from organizations, not people. The lecturing tone that so many nonprofits are addicted to.

The only time she really sounds like her old self is when she says, "Do it. Do it. Do it. Do it. Do it." -- but she neglects to mention either who should do it, or what it is. That's pretty funny.

Making viral, organic, cool stuff happen on the web is all about authenticity. You could argue that LonelyGirl15 is inauthentic to begin with, and that's true. But she did have a clear persona that made her interesting, until the committee at the UN got to it. Any fan who sees this video will see right through the artificiality of it.

This could have worked. It very nearly does. Next time, they need to let the authentic, human, quirky voice do its thing.

And that would be a good plan for any time you want to motivate people.

Technorati Tags: fundraising, marketing revolution, LonelyGirl15

Comments

[Gayle]

Hi Jeff,

LonelyGirl may have getten it almost right, but you are spot on as always. Have linked to your post.

Peace,
Gayle
Fundraising for Nonprofits
gayleroberts.com/blog

[christine]

This is so strange, I almost posted the same comments on my blog (but mine ended up sounding too negative, so I concentrated on the overall smart move from Y&R).

Very well put. It seems like advertising companies aren't bothering to learn the community they are playing in. They would have understood using LG15 was a stupid move if they just spent one hour reading the comments on her recent videos.

But again, overall a smart concept...and I hope more people reign in the video community in positive ways.