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Johnson & Johnson taps photo sharing app to drive donations

Johnson & Johnson has debuted a new mobile application that turns photo sharing into a way for consumers to conveniently contribute to important causes.

The company teamed up with R/GA on the mobile app. The app is an extension of Johnson & Johnson?s commitment to social responsibility.

?Johnson & Johnson asked for our partnership in creating a digital engagement platform to celebrate and cultivate good in the spirit of their dedication to social responsibility,? said Mark J. Cibort, vice president and group managing director at R/GA, New York.

?Donate a Photo is simply an extension of their commitment to caring that has been a central part of the company?s culture for more than 125 years,? he said.

?The app is at the intersection of how people are using mobile technology to share with their friends and their underlying desire to get involved with helping important causes via simple, minute-worthy digital actions.?

Mobile cause
The Donate a Photo app lets consumers contribute to important causes.

The app is available for iOS and Android devices.

Users can take or select a photo using the app, choose a cause and share.

For each photo, Johnson & Johnson will donate $1 to a user?s cause of choice and each photo will be tagged with a phrase indicating what the contribution will help accomplish.

For example, if consumers choose to donate to Keep America Beautiful, the photo you share will say, ?This photo helped restore a public park.?

According to the company, by creating a way to connect nonprofits and individuals who want to help, Donate a Photo makes it easy for a small action people do every day to make a big difference.

?Johnson & Johnson is activating through their existing network of partners and influencers,? Mr. Cibort said.

?The app just launched on March 30 and only a few weeks later thousands of photos have already been donated, helping thousands of families and generating awareness for some amazing causes,? he said.

Past efforts
Last year, a Johnson & Johnson executive at IAB?s Innovation Day conference said that although mobile is being tapped as a promotional tool, it is best used as a strategic tactic in emerging markets (see story).

Most recently, Johnson & Johnson celebrated its 10-year anniversary of the Campaign for Nursing?s Future via a mobile site that aimed to inform, connect and educate current and prospective nurses across the country (see story).

?Mobile is a perfect channel for demonstrating their commitment to social responsibility with an app that allows users to help a cause through the simple act of sharing a photo,? Mr. Cibort said.

?For people that want to get involved but don?t have the time or the money, or they?re frustrated because they don?t know where to start, Donate a Photo makes it simple,? he said.

?Johnson & Johnson can help make it easier to make a difference, more good will be accomplished collectively and for Johnson & Johnson that in and of itself is success.? 

Final Take
Rimma Kats is associate editor on Mobile Marketer, New York