Well, maybe not an app but a text will certainly suffice. According to a recent study by Boston-based marketing research firm, Cone, nearly 13 percent of Americans ponied up the money for Haitian relief assistance via a text donation. While this number may seem like small potatoes, Cone says that it is actually an indicator of the building traction of the “text-to-give” trend.The new percentile, acquired through a brief two-question online survey held in February 2010, represents a 100 percent jump in text donations in comparison to Cone’s 2009 Consumer New Media Study where only six percent of adults reported donating to any cause via mobile phone in a 12-month period of time.
With the impressive success rate of the recent text relief fund – the American Red Cross raised more than $32 million during the aid campaign for Haiti- organizations are taking note and striving to change the face of charity. A new campaign revealed during the Super Bowl by the United Way is a clear indicator of future text-to-give marketing strategies as philanthropic organizations implore cell phone users to use their digits for the greater good.