SpinVox and MTV launch "Stand by what you say!"
Our very own James Whatley, (well we have to share him with SpinVox) implied something big was coming on last week’s Podcast (if you haven’t heard it yet, where have you been!?) and here it is.
TV AND SPINVOX PARTNER TO LAUNCH FIRST EVER INTEGRATED VOICE POWERED CAUSE-RELATED SOCIAL NETWORKING CAMPAIGN ‘STAND BY WHAT YOU SAY’
CAMPAIGN VOICED BY SUPERSTAR KELLY ROWLAND
‘CAUSES’ PROMOTES CAMPAIGN TO ITS 12 MILLION SUBSCRIBERS
London/New York – 10 June, 2008 – MTV’s Staying Alive Foundation, SpinVox and Causes on Facebook today announced the launch of their joint campaign, ‘Stand by What You Say’. The groundbreaking initiative encourages young people to speak openly about sex, sexual health and HIV/AIDS, with a view to increasing awareness and breaking down the stigma and discrimination which so often accompanies the disease.
The campaign, which uses the SpinVox service to convert voice messages into text, is the first of its kind. It encourages users to pick up the phone and ‘Talk About…’ the pleasures and issues surrounding 21st century sex . Those that speak up are then asked to bolster their support by pledging money to the Staying Alive Foundation, MTV’s HIV and AIDS charity which allocates grants to youth-led organisations who work to raise awareness on a local, grass-roots level. SpinVox itself will be ‘standing by what it says’ to match funds raised to the value of $50,000.
‘Stand By What You Say’ aims to empower young people to speak freely about sex. It advocates that only by speaking openly can the stigmas be erased and barriers broken down. An open mind leads to open discussions which ultimately helps promote safe sex and lowers the risk of HIV and AIDS.
Callers are greeted by 2008 Staying Alive Foundation Ambassador Kelly Rowland, who prompts them to leave a message (UK: 0151 266 7700, US: 1513 729 6417 – see full list of numbers at end of release). The voice messages are converted to text and posted on a bespoke Staying Alive Blog www.standbywhatyousay.com by SpinVox. Topics such as ‘sex secrets, ‘one night stands’ and ‘condoms’ will act as conversation starters and encourage debate among a global youth audience. Different themes and questions will be posed throughout the campaign to keep the contributions coming.
“MTV is proud to be a part of this innovative campaign”, said Bill Roedy CEO MTV Networks International. It is only by speaking out openly about sex, sexual health and HIV/AIDS, that attitudes can be changed, barriers broken and stigma reduced. ‘STAND BY WHAT YOU SAY’ is the right to talk freely about your first crush, about the craziest place you’ve had sex, about carrying condoms. It’s about talking freely about peer pressure to have sex or choosing not to. By speaking freely and standing by what you say, we are encouraging young people to take the first step in altering the dynamics of the epidemic”.
“Voice-powering a campaign in this way is a world first,” says Christina Domecq, SpinVox co-founder and CEO. “Together with MTV we’re breaking new ground by changing how people can contribute to the Staying Alive Foundation, encouraging them to speak freely, openly and honestly about sex and the issues of HIV/AIDS. Sharing experiences, advice, the good and bad times, but also the ridiculous and humourous moments that happen around sex is a powerful way to involve and educate others, harnessing the power that we all have to change attitudes and so the progression of this disease.”
For more information about the Staying Alive Foundation, visit www.staying-alive.org. Full list of campaign telephone numbers:
UK: 0151 266 7700
US: 1513 729 6417
Canada: 1416 628 8501
Spain: 3493 184 2078
Germany: 4921 123 7061072
France: 3317 666 0863
Ireland: 3531 657 1891
Love it! Love it! Love it! Kudos to SpinVox! I love seeing technology being used to help and make a difference. I urge everyone to call your number and stand by what you say!
