On Jan. 21st when I broke the story of Wild Freeborn and her idea to sell 12,000 Girl Scout cookies by using online strategies, I never dreamed she would end up explaining her case on CNN or the Today Show this morning. (Today Show video here)
Wild's story broke nationally a few days ago when Newsweek print a article about the Girl Scouts of America forcing her to take her video off of YouTube. (Newsweek story here) I had to change the link in my post as well so that we could still show Wild and her reasons for wanting to use modern technology as a means to sell cookies and send her entire troupe to camp this year.
Using internet marketing methods developed at Top Floor Studios and MapPartners, Wild started using social networks and video internet marketing to promote her sales locally. Immediately there was strange reaction to her initiatives from local and the national Girl Scout Councils. Their reasoning for wanting Wild to stop her initiatives seems strange--the Girl Scouts are worried that a girl might get hurt selling cookies online.
That makes no sense to this reporter---how would online sales be more dangerous than door to door sales? Instead, it seems to me, that the Girl Scouts should use this as an opportunity to introduce safe web experiences to girls and to bring them into this century and modern marketing methods. I hope the National Council of Girl Scouts will be looking at updating their positions on this soon. I understand that sales are down nationwide with some areas reporting a 50% decrease in sales. Now would be the time to rebuild this fundraiser using Wild's ideas!
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2 comments:
good job jack, we appreciate you keeping us updated on unusual stories in asheville, nc!
This is such a strange story. It would seem that the girl scouts would keep more up to date. Having a badge for visiting 4 websites is not my idea of showing any kind of internet expertise. Hopefully the girl scouts will start using social networking and sites to teach the girls modern marketing techniques!
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