The ways to transition from slacktivism to digital activism have been debated in the social web for a while now. Recently, there was another entry in the on-going debate.
In an Ad Age Digital article, “How to Get the Social-Media Generation Behind Your Cause,” Ann Marie Kerwin writes about a TBWA Chiat Day study, “Social Activism 2.0,” that recommends various ways marketers can get young adults to break the divide between slacktivism (e.g., merely hitting a “like” button on a Facebook “Cause” page) and activism (e.g., first-person involvement in corporate cause-marketing efforts via donations of money or volunteered time). To attempt to bridge this gap, summarizing, the article says the study recommends:
- Make the cause “fun” for young participants.
- Make participating in the cause “social.”
- Make prospective participants believe that they will “make a difference” by participating.
- Make it “easy” to participate.
These are certainly good words of advice for getting anyone to do anything that you want them to do, and as such really aren’t much of a revelation. Yet, if corporations take the advice to heart, they may indeed succeed in helping young adults break that barrier between slacktivism and activism. But, I don’t want to let this idea go stale. In that article there is some other information that is a bit more enlightening, and can provide a different insight.
Per the study, 75% of young adults (ages 20-29) think that corporations have the resources to assist social causes, while 60% believe that corporations have the knowledge to support such efforts. Hmmm. This sounds like a market segment that can be primed and ignited for activism, especially digital activism, involving corporations. For sure, those corporations would want that behavior directed at cause-marketing programs of their own selection and creation. But once you light the fire of activism, controlling it can be difficult. The United States discovered how this “wildfire” phenomenon can turn around after it supported the Afghani Mujahideen in their 1980s battle against the Soviet Union. The Mujahideen later turned around to fight against the nation who helped make that victory against the Reds possible.
The phrase “be careful what you wish for” comes to mind. Corporations should understand that, if they help break that slacktivism/activism wall in support of cause-marketing, the energy penetrating that wall can be easily converted into anti-corporate activism, (i.e., irregular competition) especially given that 75% of the demographic segment targeted believes that corporations have the resources to assist in social causes.
Perhaps a “burnt butt” is better saved by not lighting the fire?
