Last Thursday, thousands of people gathered in Washington, DC to to stand up for women’s health on the doorstep of Congress. Led by Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-choice America, the day was a rallying cry for those fighting to maintain funding for women’s health services.
While 4,000 people were physically on the National Mall, thousands more joined in by taking action – many from their phones.
Planned Parenthood knew that despite the buses coming in from states across the country, not everybody who wanted to be there could. They emailed their supporters know that they could join the rally by sending in their own message.
PP built a sign-up form for messages, monitored the #Rally4Health hashtag on twitter and encouraged people to text RALLY to 69866 – each of these were ways people could send in their message. Using the Mobile Commons platform and our “Text-to-Screen” function, they were able to direct the messages that were texted in to flash up on the big screen at the rally.
The result was beautiful – messages of support streaming in for folks on the mall to see – and they posted the stream on their website so others could follow along.
That same day NARAL Pro-Choice America sent a message to their text message supporters.
Supporters replied “CALL” or dialed the number and were automatically routed to their Representative to deliver their message with their own words & voice.
Mobile is a tool that is best when used in concert with the rest of your tools & plans. Both Planned Parenthood and NARAL did a great job of using our platform to enhance and expand their successful day of action in Washington, DC.
I even sent in my own message of support using my phone, right from my desk in New York. That’s the power of mobile.