So Delicious is celebrating Earth Day by awarding $15,000 in grants to crafty social media users who post flash-descriptive proposals of 140 characters or less.

Makers of dairy-free alternatives, So Delicious wants to extend its commitment in respecting nature to its customers. Building on its sustainability efforts both inside and outside the packaging, the #140Difference campaign will choose at least two winners to receive project funding, per what the company is calling the world?s shortest grant application.

?In a media world of sound bites, a 140-character campaign becomes instantly consumable,? said Gary Schwartz CEO/president of Impact Mobile, Inc., Toronto. ?I call this tapping into the ?social haiku? of Twitter and SMS."

?This strategy is not new,? he said. ?The genius with the #140Difference campaign is that it ties the vanity of promotional tweets with a global or glocal theme which will in turn drive viral adoption. #140Difference is a micro-kickstarter.?

Mr. Schwartz is not affiliated with So Delicious. He commented based on his expertise on the subject.

So Delicious did not respond to press inquiries.

Business is blooming
Aside from its dedication to dairy-free desserts, Oregon-based So Delicious company has demonstrated a commitment to the environment.

From using 100 percent recycled paperboard cartons for its frozen dessert bars and sandwiches to reducing water usage and restoring millions of gallons of water to the Middle Deschutes River in Oregon, So Delicious claims to operate on the belief that everyone and everything should be treated with unwavering respect.


A So Delicious Facebook post asked users' about their eco-friendly habits

This is not the first time So Delicious has leveraged social media to support a social cause.
During February, its ?Say Yes to What You Love? campaign prompted social media followers on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to share stories of their adopted pets and favorite charities using the hashtag #SayYesToWhatYouLove.

Each week, a chosen winner received a ?swag bag? filled with care-package-like freebies, a three-month subscription to Bark/Meow Box, and a $2,000 donation to a favorite animal shelter, adoption center or rescue.


#SayYesToWhatYouLove promotion on Instagram

Nontraditional roots
Social media and crowdfunding platforms are becoming a near substitute for traditional funding streams because they capture the public imagination.

The crowd can already exist as a community, but they can also form from disparate groups around the world who happen to share common interest in funding a person, project or event.

With the ability to assemble and disassemble at any moment, crowdfunded and sourced campaigns accommodate a new reality in securing financial support and a public profile for special interest initiatives.

Branching out
Representation of environmental groups on crowdfunding sites currently exists at both grassroots and mainstream level. While digital platforms are just venturing into the funding jungle, their impact is already evident.

For example, Smallchagefund has received applications for over 200 grassroots environmental projects since its inception in 2009, with an 87 percent success rate for projects achieving funding, per information on its Web site. 

WorthWild is the latest online crowdfunding platform, positioned to help individuals, nonprofits and businesses use their on and offline networks to gain support, feedback and create awareness for environmental ingenuities.

Like popular crowdfunding sites, Kickstarter and Indiegogo, WorthWild empowers its user community to share their environmental initiatives with the crowd and to ask for support. Members are encouraged to share video pitches on this meant-to-inspire, simple to use platform.

So Delicious is successful in its campaigning efforts because it can rely on an already established eco fan base. Leveraging social media to raise further awareness and action, the brand has a limitless potential in petitioning user generated response and initiative.

<br /><em>#140Difference campaign video</em><br /><br /> ?These types of campaigns are smart to allow other means for entry, so the program is more inclusive,? said Jeff Hasan, chief marketing officer at Mobivity, Chandler. <br /><br />?We've moved into the times where less is more,? he said</p><p><strong>Final Take:<br /></strong><em>Michelle is editorial assistant on Mobile Marketer, New York</em><br /></p> </body> </html>
#140Difference campaign video

?These types of campaigns are smart to allow other means for entry, so the program is more inclusive,? said Jeff Hasan, Seattle-based chief marketing officer at Mobivity.

Mr. Hasen is not affiliated with So Delicious. He commented based on his expertise on the subject.

?We've moved into the times where less is more,? he said.

Final Take:
Michelle is editorial assistant on Mobile Marketer, New York