With over 75 billion app downloads on iTunes alone, there is truly an app for everything – from apps to remind you to take your medication, to ones that congratulate you on little life improvements. Companies are catching on, harnessing existing technology, games and platforms to drive even further engagement and impact around a cause or issue, beyond the click of a button.
Through December 7, consumers can fight AIDS by simply lacing up their running shoes. In the latest expansion of its commitment to work towards an AIDS free generation, Bank of America is partnering with (RED) and Nike to transform miles into donations. For every mile participants pledge and run using the Nike+ Running app, Bank of America will donate 40 cents to (RED), which Bank of America cites is equivalent to one day of lifesaving medication for someone living with HIV. Bank of America is upping the ante by increasing its mile goal every week, starting at a cumulated 75,000 miles in Week 1 and finishing at 800,000 miles in Week 8, challenging participants to run more to unlock even larger donations. The effort can lead up to a total possible donation of $1,000,000.
While Bank of America certainly has the resources to create an app to support its AIDS initiative, the banking behemoth chose to align with one consumers were already using, allowing the program to seamlessly integrate into consumers’ everyday lives. Through partnering with Nike and (RED) for the activation, Bank of America can take its program even further, tapping into new audiences and like-minded efforts to amplify impact. The initiative shows that sometimes new isn’t always better, and perhaps the best solution is already sitting on consumers’ smartphones, desktops or tablets.