Twitter Tries Charity…with Room to Read
We’ve learned over the last few years that Twitter is an effective tool for marketing, communicating, and even politics, so it makes sense that charity might soon follow into this realm. Twitter has recently partnered, for the first time, with a charity in participation in what Twitter founders call a Corporate Social Innovation initiative. What this means is that Twitter is actually teaming up with Room to Read. Room to Read is a non-profit based in San Francisco (just like Twitter) that helps educate children in developing countries.
Here’s where the partnership with Room to Read gets even more interesting. The micro-blogging site will also work with Crushpad, a San Franciscan custom winery to develop a Chardonnay and a Pinot Noir. Crushpad is providing the winemaking facility and their expertise in the industry. The grapes will be harvested and made into wine in California’s Napa Valley.
The collaboration between Twitter and Crushpad seems like a match made in cyberspace when you think about it. Crushpad actually lets wine enthusiasts create their own barrels of wine without having to own their own vineyard. The company provides the grapes, expertise, equipment, storage, and bottling for its clients and allows them to either check in personally or via Internet and video messages. Their set up is not unlike Twitter in which collaborations can be made from great distances.
The grapes for the wines are currently at the Crushpad facility and are ready for fermentation. In early 2010 there will be a few barrel tastings as well as mailed samples. Tasters will definitely tweet about their experiences and share their opinions on the social platform. No one could have planned this better – a tech savvy wine and a tech savvy social community coming together for a great cause!
The wine, bottled under the name Fledgling Wine, is due to release in the fall of 2010. The release will coincide with Room to Read’s 10th anniversary of promoting literacy around the world. The partnership seems to make perfect sense – wine is incredibly popular these days and Twitter is currently the hottest techie trend on the Web with no signs of a slowdown.
What this charitable partnership means is that we’ll be getting a wine with a little character – as much as 140 characters, that is! Though this social winemaking project is the first of its kind, Twitter is no stranger to charitable tweets. Since its inception, Twitterers have used the social platform to not only bring attention to various issues but also to raise money for said causes.
Twitter will tweet all about the winemaking process and document its progress for anyone who chooses to follow. Followers will also be able to pre-order bottles during the project, at a cost of $20, and $5 from every bottle sold will go directly to Room to Read. This means that for every case sold, about 60 language books will be provided. Kids all over the world will be able to learn to read with Twitter’s help.
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[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by thegirlnextdoor, thegirlnextdoor, Carly Matthews and others. Carly Matthews said: RT @michael_duvall: Twitter Tries Charity…with Room to Read http://tinyurl.com/yzlluts [...]
I must say its about time. all the VC funds they have, they should be doing something to help out those less fornuate.
Awesome post! Thanks a lot for the useful info
By the way, so far i’m loving the blog man. Keep the good posts coming!