Anice Hassim, Kagiso Media's online strategist at immedia, says this is a first for South African radio in terms of online fundraising. East Coast Radio raised R50 681 of the almost R600 000 total for its Winter Warmth 2008 campaign via its website.
As part of their contribution to their clients' CSI campaigns, immedia also carried all the credit card transaction costs, ensuring that the full benefit of the monies raised went to the people who needed it most.
Trish Taylor, East Coast Radio CEO adds: “East Coast Radio enjoys overwhelming support from listeners as a result of the great lengths management and team go to in building inroads into the local community, engendering trust and sincerity. When presenters make on air appeals they are meaningful and usually deeply emotional, hence people further trust the brand. They know that every cent will go towards the cause. While someone may be less hesitant to give out money on the streets, having a recognised and respected radio personality speak about someone in dire need, strikes a chord with listeners as the appeal is so much more personal.”
East Coast Radio was the first station to start using the power of broadcast to get listeners to help those in need. It started seven years ago when Damon Beard, one of the afternoon drive time hosts received a letter from a female listener who desperately needed a bus ticket to Cape Town to be with her dying mother. Touched by her appeal, Damon contacted a bus company and secured tickets for the family to travel to Cape Town. A few weeks later he received a letter from the listener thanking them for the tickets, which literally gave the woman an hour or two with her mother before she passed away. Something so seemingly small for many of us had made a lifelong difference to another human being.
