Thousands respond to Amnesty fundraising call via social networks

The charity announced it would use social media platforms to raise funds for the campaign last month.

Amnesty used Facebook, Twitter and Myspace as well as its blogger network to ask people to help pay for the protest ad which coincided with Shell’s AGM on 18 May. Amnesty was protesting about Shell’sh uman rights record in the Niger Delta

People were asked to buy a square centimetre of space in a newspaper for £10, and those who bought three or more had their name printed in the ad.

Reuben Steains, Amnesty International UK’s fundraising innovations manager, said, “This was the first time we’ve asked our supporters to directly fund the cost of an advertising campaign and we’ve never seen them respond so quickly and in such large numbers to an online fundraising campaign.”

The success of the campaign meant Amnesty International was able to book advertising space in more than one newspaper and was able to hire an ad van to drive around the Shell AGM venue in central London on the day.

The full-page ad, produced by Different Kettle, ran in The Standard and The Metro.

This story first appeared on newmediaage.co.uk