With more than 25 million users worldwide Twitter has become a powerful medium for both businesses and consumers to connect. Similarly, Facebook, with more than 200 million users, has redefined the way we communicate. Communiqué PR recognizes the major potential these two social mediums possess and has decided to launch its first campaign centered around raising $230,000 – through both Facebook and Twitter – for Seattle Children’s PlayGarden.

The PlayGarden is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing a place for both mentally and/or physically disabled children and their normally developing peers to share a safe, stimulating and fun playground environment. Located at the south end of Colman Playfield in Seattle, the PlayGarden needs this money to complete the construction of various projects such as Mount Jordan, a volcano-themed climber that is even accessible to children in wheelchairs. With the goal of getting a large number of people to donate money to complete these projects, PlayGarden Executive Liz Bullard approached Communiqué PR.

After our discussions with Liz, we felt strongly that the use of Twitter and Facebook to garner funds would be both time and cost effective. At the same time, by leveraging Twitter and Facebook we have the opportunity to create broad awareness of the PlayGarden with new audiences who may not be aware of the park and what a valuable resource it will be to our community.

Bullard adds “Communique’s idea of using Facebook and Twitter to attract donations is simply a great way to keep our fundraising costs to a minimum. We are also impressed with the team’s work getting the local media to write about our campaign.”

To date, the following articles were published about the campaign:
Puget Sound Business Journal

Seattle Child’s Magazine

Nonetheless, the real question remains as to whether or not people trust these social networking sites enough to click through to the PlayGarden’s Web site to donate and support its cause. We are excited to see what will happen with this campaign.

To donate, please click here.