Why Paris makes me MADD

What's the saddest thing about the in-again, out-again Paris tour of prison? No, it's not how annoying the news is (but it's really, really annoying). And nope, it's not how bad we must look to other countries (let's hope after the Anna Nicole frenzy they're no longer getting the news clips).

It's that I'm not seeing aggressive campaigns by the ONE organization that has a HUGE opportunity handed to them on an silver, fit-for-an-heiress platter: where are the campaigns by MADD?

Am I missing them? Or are they missing out on a golden opportunity...and letting Paris get all the play? Say it ain't so.

I went to their site but was left wanting (much) more. I went to YouTube but saw old PSAs. Imagine the creative they could be doing that would have a high potential of going viral. There's a "campaign to eliminate drunk driving" but it seems less of a new tact than a revision of the old--which hasn't worked well enough being we still need to eliminate the core problem.

Anyhow, if anyone knows anyone at MADD, please let them know I'd be happy to chat with them for an hour and give them some gems on better leveraging the spotlight, including some user-generated content and grassroots-meets-hi-tech programs. I'd love to see some good come from all the maddness.

But please tell them quick as time is running out (even if she does actually do all remaining 40 days).

psst: the majority of drunk-driving offenders are age 20-29. That's the group we need to engage (they also happen to be heavy Web 2.0 users). Just sayin'.

Update: Paris has found not only religion but a brain while incarcerated. And to think we only needed to lock her down for three days; imagine how smart she'd get if her trust fund was cut-off for a week. Just sayin'.

Comments

[Mike Brewer]

So right you are but don't fret she will soon be doing something else worthy of the same leverage. If not, Lindsay or Britney will fill the gap.
Love your passion! Have an amazing and over the top Sunday! M

[Philippe]

Yes, sometimes US is a very strange country: Paris Hilton, Anna Nicole Smith, Fox, Bush, creationism, urban violence, some strange trials,...

Since I'm reading you (and a lot of other great american bloggers), I must say that you managed to change my image (I should say my fear and my clichés) of the USA.

About Paris Hilton, I must say it's a worldwide phenomenon. I can't figure out why. She hasn't done anything, she's not THAT good looking,...

I totally agree with your analysis: the internet allows to react very fast on the news and it's a pitty they didn't in that case (especially when you see the stats of the Paris Hilton related videos on youtube)

[Mack Collier]

Maybe you should create a video for them and upload it to YouTube. At the end put something like 'No this video wasn't created by Mothers Against Drunk Driving...but it should have been'. But you're exactly right, why not leverage our unhealthy obsession with celebrities (and especially celebrities when they look bad) to get your message across?

[CK]

@Mike: Thanks for your endless positivity. Love it. Yep, I can always rely on the out-of-whack brat pack to give us opportunities...but why isn't anyone leveraging them? Sigh.

@Philippe: You've no idea what your comment means to me, I wrote a post on it here: http://www.ck-blog.com/cks_blog/2007/06/this_blog_is_no.html

@Mack: I need a video camera as it's a great idea (!). I also need the time (because the free time these days is going to launching Book Club)...but if I had a video camera this could and SHOULD have been a YouTube piece. You're right and are inspiring me (as always).

[Nick Ellinger]

Thanks, CK, for the idea -- at MADD we were working here in parallel on a Paris Hilton, but you really helped with some good ideas. Here's what we sent out to our staff and volunteers to forward around and I'd love any comments from you or any of your commenters on it:

If you haven’t heard, Paris Hilton drove drunk, had her license suspended, and then continued to drive anyway. What has not been mentioned is that she is one of 500,000 people do this same thing each year. MADD is trying to raise $500,000 by the end of June to combat these 500,000 unsafe drivers and they need our help.

MADD's Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving would help stop these 500,000 Paris Hiltons by 1) replacing long license suspensions with restrictions on driving that require offenders to use ignition interlock devices and 2) increasing penalties for driving while suspended to help deter people from committing this crime.

There are three things you can do to help stop these 500,000 offenders:

1. Donate to MADD online and help us meet their $500,000 goal at http://support.madd.org/combat500

2. Forward this email to on to your friends and family

3. Email your legislators to let them know you would like better ignition interlock laws at https://secure2.convio.net/madd/site/Advocacy?id=477

Hopefully, we can stop these types of offenders together.

Thanks,
Nick Ellinger
nick (dot) ellinger (at) madd (dot) org