United Way launches digital video campaign with FanTrust

United Way launches digital video campaign with FanTrust

Innovative video shorts go online to tap a new community of donors

VANCOUVER, November 4, 2008 – For the first time, a number of United Ways across Canada have combined forces to produce a new video campaign and to tap new digital audiences. United Ways in Vancouver, Calgary, Halifax and Toronto, along with support from Winnipeg and United Way Canada collaborated on the mission and the results are two compelling video shorts intended to open the eyes of more Canadians and support fundraising efforts.

“The Web is changing the worlds of both fundraising and community involvement,” said Catherine Warren, president of FanTrust Entertainment Strategies, who spearheaded the campaign’s digital roll-out. “It makes sense today for the United Way to broadcast its appeal online, reaching out to connected and caring citizens, combining the power of its message with the reach of the Internet,” said Warren, who is also a board member of the United Way Lower Mainland.

The new video shorts campaign, entitled “A Way Out”, portrays vulnerable groups of people – such as youth and the homeless in Canada – and connects donors to the positive impact their donations can have in transforming lives. Publicis Toronto, the United Way’s pro-bono ad agency created the videos specifically to ignite the emotional driver of donor behaviour – the ability to enable change in our communities. With innovative special effects, these new video shorts show and tell a story of metamorphosis, providing the heartfelt motivation to donate to United Way.

FanTrust, a leader in digital media business development, chose YouTube’s top Canadian partner BroadbandTV to implement its strategy, driving audiences to Canada’s leading YouTube channels to view the United Way videos. “We are pleased to help the United Way execute its digital strategy,” said BroadbandTV CEO Shahrzad Rafati, whose company also ranks globally among YouTube’s 20 most-viewed entertainment partners, together with CBS, BBC and FOX.

“BroadbandTV will leverage its ‘Opti-Find’ technology to ensure that YouTube users easily connect with the United Way’s videos by leveraging the search function. BroadbandTV will also drive traffic and awareness for the United Way by building an audience with its own meaningful viewership,” she said.

Canadians can now view the United Way videos at https://www.youtube.com/broadbandtvhub.

“Canada ranks high in both wealth and broadband penetration – and with its FanTrust digital strategy the United Way intends to trigger help for our neediest at this crossroads,” said Warren.

Please enter the url to a YouTube video. Please enter the url to a YouTube video.

About The United Way
The United Way movement (and its predecessors Red Feather, Community Chest, United Appeal) has existed in Canada since 1917 when it first extended the philosophy of the “community collective” – raising and distributing funds to support the broader community. United Way-Centraide is a leading community building organization in Canada. United Ways-Centraides are led and supported by more than 200,000 volunteers all dedicated to improving the lives of individuals in their community. Each of the 120 United Way-Centraides is responsible to its own community, raising the resources and distributing it back to their community. Each year, United Ways-Centraides raise upwards of $480 million, the vast majority of which is reinvested in local communities to support programs and services directed at improving the social conditions of Canadians.

About FanTrust Entertainment Strategies
FanTrust provides the entertainment, education and non-profit sectors with strategies and tactics for digital media growth, including raising capital, distribution deal-making, revenue generation and cross-platform production and partnerships. FanTrust also helps technology distribution companies to package and provision for the media and entertainment industries. In essence, FanTrust serves as digital matchmakers, helping bridge different media and build innovative organizations and intellectual property. With a laser focus on the Fans, FanTrust helps clients capitalize on the digital audiences and committed consumers that interact with multi-platform content. www.FanTrust.com

About BroadbandTV
BBTV is a media and technology company that brings together content owners, network operators and advertisers to create economically sustainable Video over IP business models. BroadbandTV specializes in the aggregation, tracking, optimization, sales, marketing, distribution and monetization of video content via Internet Protocol (IP) and Wireless Networks. BroadbandTV’s leading edge ‘Opti-Find’ technology ensures that all uploaded video assets are fully optimized and meta-tagged such that they can be elegantly indexed and discovered by consumers who use search functions to connect with their content. For more information visit www.broadbandtv.ca

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To set up a media interview or for more information, please contact:
Brandi Sundby
FanTrust Entertainment Strategies Consultant
Tel: 778-896-0570 (Pacific Time Zone)
bsundby@fantrust.com