THINK.MTV.COM LAUNCHES “DO GOOD. GO TO THE VMAS”
CONTEST FOR A THINK.MTV.COM MEMBER TO JOIN THE HOTTEST NAMES IN MUSIC AT THE 2008 MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS
NEW YORK, NY (July 24, 2008) – Announced today on MTV’s TRL (3:00 pm ET/PT) segment featuring Miley Cyrus, Think.MTV.com, MTV’s online community for youth activism, is hooking up one young activist and shipping them off to Los Angeles to attend the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards alongside the biggest stars in the industry, including the Jonas Brothers who are already confirmed to perform. Every Think.MTV.com member who joins the “Do Good. Go to the VMAs” group between Thursday, July 24, 2008 through Friday, August 22, 2008 at http://think.mtv.com/Groups/DoGoodGoToTheVMAs/ will be entered to win two tickets to the VMAS on September 7, 2008 along with travel and hotel accommodations when MTV takes over Los Angeles for this year’s show.
Think.MTV.com mobilizes young people around the causes they care about. Designed to reward young people for doing good, this contest exposes them to hundreds of organizations on Think.MTV.com through which they can take action in their communities. These organizations include CityYear, Declare Yourself, Kiva, Malaria No More, Millennium Promise, ONE, PlayPumps, President’s Volunteer Service Award, Social Citizens, Strong American Schools and YouthBuild, among others. Think.MTV.com also features new tools that allow young people to upload multimedia content and discuss ideas with their peers, and provides non-profit organizations the latest Web 2.0 community organizing tools they can use to reach new youth audiences, get the word out about their issues, and activate thousands of engaged Think members in meaningful ways online and offline.
“MTV Research shows that young people seek out and appreciate recognition for taking action on issues that are important to them,” says Ian Rowe, Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships and Public Affairs. “Contests like ‘Do Good. Go to the VMAs’ celebrate young people’s efforts, helping to normalize activism and create positive peer pressure to ‘do good.’ ”
To enter, visit http://think.mtv.com and join the “Do Good. Go to the VMAs” group to start uploading video, audio or photos or blogging about your summer volunteer activities and interacting with the hundreds of partner organizations that make it easy to become involved. If you are not already a member, create a profile and join the online community of young people who are taking action on the issues that matter the most to them. Think members get heard by uploading media, getting connected to peers, celebrities and expert organizations. Contestants must be at least 18 years old to win.
“Do Good. Go to the VMAs” is the latest in a series of unique contests and rewards hosted by MTV, Think.MTV.com and its Founding Partners that engage and encourage young activists to continue their efforts. Earlier this year, “A Minute” called on young people to submit an original poem, lyrics or writing that addressed why getting tested for HIV is critical. Hip-hop artist and actor Common performed the winning lyrics in a special public service announcement (PSA) that premiered on National HIV Testing Day and aired throughout the summer on MTV2 and mtvU, MTV’s college network, and online at http://www.itsyoursexlife.com. Additionally, the “In the Time it Takes” competition, hosted on http://think.mtv.com/profile/seventeen, asks young people to develop a less than 90 second viral video showing how quick, easy and painless it is to register to vote. The individual who submits the best entry by August 3, 2008 will win a trip for two to LA and VIP passes to Declare Yourself’s celebrity-packed “Young Hollywood” party, taking place this September.
Think.MTV.com was built and launched with the support and expertise of The Case Foundation, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, The Goldhirsh Foundation and The MCJ Amelior Foundation. These Founding Partners serve as key advisors and help bring “Best In Class” non-profit organizations into the Think community.
About Think.MTV.com
Think.MTV.com is the umbrella for MTV’s on-air, off-air and online pro-social campaigns that engage, educate and encourage young people to take action on some of the biggest challenges facing their generation. The backbone for MTV’s pro-social efforts is Think.MTV.com, an online community where young people, their friends and some of the biggest names in pop culture come together to effect positive social change. The Think Community is dynamic, multimedia-driven and enables youth to easily learn more about the issues that matter to them most, share their opinions – via uploaded online videos, podcasts and blogs – and connect with others to make a difference. The site is one of the only to reward members for positive actions taken online or off, serving up chances to hang out with socially conscious celebs, access to exclusive MTV events, exposure on MTV and other national media outlets, as well as grants, scholarships and more. Think.MTV.com was founded in partnership with The Case Foundation, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, The Goldhirsh Foundation and The MCJ Amelior Foundation. For more information or to build a profile and become involved, visit Think.MTV.com.
About MTV
MTV is the dynamic, vibrant experiment at the intersection of music, creativity and youth culture. For over 26 years, MTV has evolved, challenged the norm, and detonated boundaries—giving each new generation a creative outlet and voice that entertains, informs and unites on every platform and screen. On-air, MTV has been the number one rated 24 hour ad-supported cable network P12-24 for 16 straight years. Online, MTV.com scored double-digit growth in 2007 and MTV launched 15 dynamic online communities and eight new virtual worlds. On the go, MTV Mobile is the #1 music brand in the wireless space – delivering 90% more streams than in 2006. And MTV’s successful sibling networks MTV2, mtvU and MTV Tr3s each deliver unprecedented customized content, super-serving music fans, college students and young American Latinos like no one else. MTV is part of MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Wanna know more? Come on in… http://www.mtvpress.com.
