ARCHIVES: This is legacy content from before Marketing Dive acquired Mobile Marketer in early 2017. Some information, such as publication dates, may not have migrated over. Check out the new Marketing Dive site for the latest marketing news.

The Dana Farber Cancer Institute/Jimmy Fund uses mobile to encourage donations

The Dana Farber Cancer Institute/ immy Fund is now using mobile to not only encourage donations, but to also build awareness for the fund.

The fund is working with g8wave, which will power all mobile initiatives.

"The The Dana Farber Cancer Institute/ Jimmy Fund does a lot of marketing and sees a clear opportunity from mobile," said Jeff Ostiguy, vice president at g8wave. "They are looking to get their information out there right away and mobile provides that immediacy."

Since its founding in 1948, the Jimmy Fund has supported the fight against cancer in children and adults at Boston's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, helping to raise the chances of survival for cancer patients around the world.

G8wave will power the fund's mobile giving.

The mobile company will be designing "text to give" campaigns" through which people can text in and give $5 to the charity via a premium billed mobile transaction.

The nice part about it is that, by working with the Mobile Giving Foundation, g8wave provides a 100 percent pass through on the funds collected.

G8wave and the fund will also be working on mobile content to help build awareness for The Jimmy Fund.

Wallpapers and voice tones for example from Boston Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester (a cancer survivor) and the Red Sox radio voice Joe Castiglione.

The company will also be providing general alerts, reminders. The purpose is to build a mobile database of names for future marketing.

Consumers can get the latest news and fundraising event information from the Jimmy Fund at http://store.g8wave.com/jimmyfund.

They are asked to enter their mobile phone number to receive the most up-to-date information from the Jimmy Fund by text message to their mobile phone.

The Jimmy Fund can leverage the database of those who sign up to send out giving reminders, info about events, cancer research news and volunteer info.

"Right now with the economy it is hard to get people to donate money, even if it is for a worthy cause," Mr. Ostiguy said. "The mobile initiatives are meant to drive people to give money to the fund.

"We'll be pushing information out to consumers who opt-in, since they are probably more likely to want to give," he said.