ALEXANDRIA, Virginia — A reality of today is that we live in a consumer society. Our lives and the jobs that are available for us are linked to the products we choose to consume. But if we are to accept this way of life there must be mechanisms in place that attempt to fix the negative externalities and other harmful effects that come with it.
While we tend to look to the government as the cure, there are private sector solutions to the many issues that plague our society.
The 1Face Watch campaign is an effort to do just that. Fam Mizra, founder and Creative Director of Mizra Minds, a product branding and marketing firm, has launched a campaign that utilizes the popularity of wearable accessories. Taking advantage of the momentum of the Livestrong bracelets and Samsung’s Galaxy Gear, the 1Face Watch offers consumers a chance to be trendy while positively affecting real people in desperate situations.
The idea is simple: purchase a $40 watch and get the satisfaction of contributing to a cause of your choice.
The 1Face Watch campaign gives consumers the choice of eight different causes:
- Cancer: This watch includes a black strap and frame and benefits that American Cancer Society, an organization that combats cancer through awareness and provides funding for treatment and research. One watch helps support 8 cancer patients.
- Hunger: The Hunger watch highlights a gray strap and frame and helps you team up with One Days Wages, a movement that helps people lift themselves out of poverty. Their aim is to eradicate hunger and poverty from the world. One watch helps provide food for 10 people.
- AIDS: Sporting a bold red strap and frame, the AIDS watch is partnered with Keep A Child Alive. This movement supports community-led responses that increase access to life saving treatment and care, nutritious food, and loving support for children in Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda, and India. One watch supports treatment for 8 AIDS patients.
- Red Cross: This watch includes a white strap with a red frame to resemble to colors of the American Red Cross. This organizations current campaign provides disaster relief to the Philippines in response to Typhoon Haiyan. One watch provides food for 3 disaster victims.
- Water: The Water watch utilizes a white strap and yellow frame and matches you with Gram Vikas, a non-profit organization that is dedicated to providing clean drinking water to impoverished countries. 4 watches will provide a LIFETIME of water for one person.
- Breast Cancer: The all pink watch is in commemoration for breast cancer awareness and the National Breast Cancer foundation. By contributing to research and awareness programs, the foundation wants to not only help women detect breast cancer in the early stages but find a cure for the disease. Nine watches pays for a mammogram for one person.
- Education: This all orange watch helps you team up with Pencils of Promise, an organization that seeks to provide access to education all over the world by building, supporting, and monitoring village schools in need. 5 watches equals one year of education.
- Environment: The Environment watch sports an all blue color scheme and pairs you with The Adventure Project. The Adventure Project works to relieve the carbon stress on the Earth by providing people with charcoal-efficient stoves. 3 watches will provide 1 charcoal-efficient stove.
The effective marketing scheme behind the 1Face Watch campaign is that consumers can see how their dollars are contributing to real positive change. The variety of colors gives users the chance to mix it up and match different watches with different outfits.
A $500 donation will get you a touchscreen watch that backs all eight causes. You can purchase the watches through www.1facewatch.com.
– Sunny Bhatt
Sources: Gizmag, 1FaceWatch, Under30CEO
Photo: Muted