Nothing is Good from DoGood Headquarters on Vimeo.
Every once in awhile I stumble upon something that is so brilliant that I can’t help but sit at my desk and nervously giggle to myself, “Is this for real?” Today is one of those days thanks to DoGood. DoGood essentially allows you to replace generic web advertisements with green/good advertisements by downloading a free plug-in.
For me, the opportunity to filter out the usual filth that is web advertising is priceless. For example, DoGood allowed me to visit MTV.com without having to be reminded to “Watch Kristin Cavallari’s Best Moments On Laguna Beach.” Instead, I saw banner that said only, “Eating Raw Foods Is A Pretty Darn Good Idea.” Similarly, when I visited CNN.com I was able to avoid the inconvenience of reading about CapitalOne’s InterestPlus Online Savings because it was covered up with an ad that read, “An estimated four million women and girls are bought and sold worldwide each year.”
Some of the ads are funny, some are heavy, some are sad, and some are inspiring, but they are all thought-provoking. A pleasant departure from the usual advertising bombardment that the average web user is subjected to. The real merits of DoGood go far beyond covering up generic web ads, however. Indeed the best part of DoGood is that it donates 50% of it’s profits to charities and good causes. Hard to oppose an organization willing to give up half it’s profits for good.
The idea is so radical, it’s brilliant. The video asks, “If you didn’t have to do much, to do good, would you?” Yes. Why wouldn’t you? It’s a free plug-in that allows you to have a huge impact while hardly lifting a finger. You can even help DoGood weed out ads that you think do not belong or suggest a cause to donate to. DoGood opens the door for you to rise up against the established norms of online advertising.
A not-so-exciting identity is the only thing that falls short for me. Numerous colors and a random leaf seem like a half-hearted attempt. However, I can appreciate the consistency of the typography and visuals in each of the ads, leaving no question which ads are DoGood messages. All in all, it’s progressive. It’s renegade. And it tickles my fancy a little more with each ad I see.
Go download the plug-in and try it for yourself: DoGood Headquarters.