Advertising Week panel looks to social causes

Today's Ad Week session, "Panasonic Ideas for Life Series, Social Media: Giving Voice to Social Cause," looked to how big named brands and advertisers can use their power of persuasion for a god cause. The session, which was packed with people sitting down the stairs of the theater, focused on the idea of self organization (a term I'm hearing a lot lately). Creating tools for people to help create movements is what Google's social media expert Lexi Reese spoke about. A spokesman from Meetup.com echoed this cry and showed examples of how individual people are creating social groups to meet up in real places to affect social change. One example was a single mother in Queens, NY with an autistic son. Frustrated with not finding resources through more traditional channel --doctors, hospitals, etc. -- she created a Meet Up profile in which she started gatherings with other parents in her area. This led to many members, lots of meet ups and a number of community events.

What does this mean to advertisers? Well, the potential to give tools to engaged consumers to create experiences around a brand has promise. But remember, it has to be something people care about.

The series continues this week with more noon sessions on Wednesday and Thursday about getting Americans to think globally through advertising and how marketers are fighting obesity.