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If Google has anything to do with it, yes!

Google wallet is the latest app to come from the internet giant that enables users to, quite literally, transform their mobile phones into a wallet.

The application will store users’ credit card information, including Citi Bank Mastercard, Google pre-paid cards and gift cards from several companies, inside the phone. Then, when the user wishes to make a purchase, all he has to do is put his mobile phone onto the payment reader and the payment is deducted from the card.

While critics claim that this is no easier than simply using a credit card itself, the benefits to utilising a mobile phone wallet as opposed to a traditional one include the regular use of coupons and discounts (now that these will be stored electronically within the mobile phone itself) and the fact that we are further reducing the amount of necessary “stuff” that we leave the house with. Another massive benefit is one of security. As complete credit card information is never displayed, users will no longer have to worry so much about credit card fraud, loss or theft of their wallets.

We’ve been thinking quite a lot recently in the office about novel ways to instigate positive change and, while this video was indeed made some time ago, we still think that it is a really great example of using social media (in this case Youtube) to raise awareness about an issue in a fun and positive way.

Developed by a local, Bay area environmental group, Green Sangha, this “positive parody” aims to highlight the growing environmental problem of plastic bag use.

According to Green Sangha, shoppers worldwide are using 500 billion to one trillion single-use plastic bags per year. As a result, more than 100,000 marine mammals and turtles, one million seabirds and countless fish worldwide are killed by plastic rubbish each year.

According to Linda Curries, Executive Committee member at Green Sangha, “Music is a powerful vehicle for change, “and this video has enabled us to make something effective but also light-hearted and fun.”

And they certainly achieved it! In just 10 days, the video received 65,000 views on Youtube. Since then, the video has been copied several times on Youtube, with views of the official version reaching over 400,000.

I am very happy to share this campaign with you all. We are also happy to say that we were involved in its development at the creative and strategic planning stages with the MSF Team in South Africa lead by Guillermo De Los Santos and Borrie Lagrange .http://www.kissmalariagoodbye.co.za/

Send your kiss !!!

I recently came across a new website advertising daily deals, pretty much along the same lines as Groupon.  Every day, a new “deal” is uploaded onto the front page of the website and people are invited to purchase the offer.

Only this is a deal site with a difference…Users are invited to spend just US$1 and the “deals” on offer are, in fact, smaller social organisations looking to fundraise for their causes on a massive scale, by asking as large a group of people as possible to make a micro donation of just US$1.

By the looks of things, the website doesn’t appear to be terribly popular yet. The visuals aren’t great and the donations do not appear to be pouring in, it certainly is a great idea.

Perhaps one of the most attractive elements of this concept to potential donors is Philanthroper‘s guarantee that 99 cents of each dollar goes directly to the cause and that the charities involved receive the funds within just three business days, meaning that they are able to put the funds raised to use within a week!

Its certainly a great idea. I’ll be interested to see if it attracts the numbers needed to make impactful donations…