KONY 2012

I realize that this will simply be another blog post about this huge trending topic, but I believe, as the director says, that this is one big social experiment

For anyone who have not seen the video, it can be found at http://vimeo.com/37119711

The film maker knows exactly what he is doing and how to appeal to the masses.  What I find amazing about the beginning is how the director basically inserts us into a worldwide story.  When you think that this is a 30 minute video and the call to action doesn't happen until the end, the director has to create the perfect video.  Most viewers make a judgment call within the first few seconds, but this video manages to capture the interest of viewers.  The first few minutes lays the ground work and shows viewers that this video deserves their respect and time.

I find it so amazing that this video has appealed to such a wide audience.  Hundreds, if not thousands, of videos have gone viral, but very few explain such a difficult topic and can capture the interest of viewers for such a long period of time.  It will be interesting to see how much momentum this movement can sustain, or if it will suffer from the great disadvantage of social media - that people quickly lose interest and move on to the next new idea/event.

This is the challenge of brands and causes.  With the proper techniques it might be possible to consistently develop viral videos, but sustainability is almost impossible to maintain due to the onslaught of new ideas and the decreasing attention span of consumers and supporters.  If Kony 2012 can maintain its support, then causes and charities can learn from this campaign.  Awareness will keep growing for the next week or so, but it remains to be seen whether this idea grown through social media will fall prey to the next trending topic. 

Aaron Roecker