www.malarianomore.org
Tribeca Flashpoint Media Arts Academy welcomed Scott Case (CEO of Malaria No More) for a media presentation and brainstorming workshop with our students. Scott is the co-founder of Priceline.com (no, it wasn’t William Shatner) and has devoted the last few years of his work to the Malaria No More campaign to end malaria-caused deaths in Africa.
In order for our students – great storytellers and digital media marines – to help with this important effort, Tribeca Flashpoint announced today a 5-year international partnership with Scott and his team to help create new media solutions and other social media marketing and awareness strategies. TFP students will assist in many different areas of the campaign including trips to Africa for filming the great deal of work that is already underway there in many different countries. Media, music and entertainment as well as viral marketing are CRUCIAL components of the ultimate success of the project and TFP students will be central to the effort.
Scott screened several MNM videos for the students as well as gag ads and a teaser for the upcoming MNM mockumentary which will premiere at a benefit event in Chicago on TFP’s Merchandise Mart broadcast and film stage later this year.
TFP CEO Howard A. Tullman explained to the assembled students before they broke into their work groups for the brainstorming sessions that there are very few problems and diseases in the world that can actually be addressed and largely eliminated in a few years of concentrated effort and that they were going to have the rare and special opportunity (if they wished) to be part of saving millions of lives and making a concrete difference in the world in the next few years – not in some gray and abstract way – but as a result of their own skills, talents, commitment, passion and hard work. It’s a rare opportunity and an amazing privilege for each and every one of them.
There will be much more information and material to come, but below are some pictures from the event along with the 30 minute storyboards that each team developed before they stood up and presented their best ideas to Scott and his team.
As one new student said to me: “Not a bad place to be after my first full week here…or is this all just a dream come true?”
TOP TEN FACTS ABOUT MALARIA FOR USE IN COPY
Malaria kills 2,200 children every day in Africa—that’s one child every 45 seconds.
91% of all malaria deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa—the vast majority of these deaths are in children under 5 years old.
Malaria is a preventable and treatable disease. Tools like mosquito nets can protect people from malaria and effective medicines are available to treat it.
Malaria causes severe flu-like symptoms including fever, vomiting and, if untreated, the disease can lead to coma, brain damage, life-threatening anemia and death.
The economic costs of malaria are high:
a. Continent: Africa loses at least $12 billion per year in GDP
b. Country: Up to 40% of a country’s health expenditures are spend on malaria
c. Household: A family can spend up to 25% of their household income on malaria (treatment, missed work, etc).
Malaria was eradicated in the United States in 1951.
The mosquitoes that carry malaria are nocturnal, only biting between 10pm and 4am (so mosquito nets over the bed are a crucial barrier).
For just $10, you can provide a life-saving mosquito net, protecting that child from malaria for up to 5 years.
The world has made major progress: 9 African countries have reduced malaria deaths by more than 50% in just a few years thanks to new tools like nets and medicine.
The world is working to end malaria deaths in Africa by 2015.
WHITEBOARDS CREATED BY THE STUDENTS AND PRESENTATION PICTURES
Challenge: Facebook is letting malaria “take over” Facebook for one day. How would you leverage Facebook to teach users about malaria?
Audience: Facebook users
Challenge: Get one million people on Twitter to tweet about malaria on World Malaria Day (April 25)
Audience: Twitter users
Challenge: Counterfeit drugs are flooding the market in Africa; encourage people to purchase the correct, effective medicines from the pharmacy (denoted with a green leaf on the package)
Audience: African women
Challenge: Educate about the importance of using a mosquito net and seeking effective treatment
Audience: African school children
Challenge: Teach American schoolchildren about the history of malaria
Audience: American school kids age 10-12
Challenge: Congress is voting on malaria funding; you must leverage American public support to help convince them to vote to spend U.S. tax dollars on malaria control
Audience: American public appealing to U.S. policymakers
Challenge: Encourage Americans to donate $10 for a mosquito net
Audience: American general public
Challenge: A famous athlete catches malaria and is hospitalized in serious condition after a visit to Africa. Use the opportunity to highlight the real threat and danger of malaria
Audience: sports fans worldwide
Challenge: Create a nightly reminder for families to sleep under their mosquito nets before bed
Audience: African fathers
FINAL Q&A WITH SCOTT
