Social Media for Social Causes: Alex Brown's Passion for the Welfare of Horses

Knowledge at Wharton

Episode Description

Alex Brown's love of horses started long before he launched the blog, Alex Brown Racing, but it was Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro that pushed the blog into prominence -- and eventually established it as a site dedicated to the welfare of horses. Along the way, Brown learned many things about creating and nurturing an online community using tools, including Wikis, Facebook and Twitter, and following certain principles, such as: Be authentic, be transparent, be consistent and build trust. Brown, one of whose goals is to rescue horses destined for the slaughter house, talked with Knowledge@Wharton about his strategies for bringing attention -- and money -- to the cause. Transcript can be found at: http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article.cfm?articleid=2225 📂 Technology

Brief Summary

Alex Brown discusses social media strategies and community building for horse welfare through the Alex Brown Racing brand.

Key points

  • The Rise of Barbaro's Blog. After Barbaro's injury, the blog saw a surge in traffic, leading to a community-driven movement.
  • Creating a Discussion Board. Transitioning from a blog to a discussion board helped facilitate community engagement and fundraising.
  • Harnessing Social Media. The adoption of platforms like Facebook and Twitter strengthened community ties and outreach.
  • Horse Slaughter Awareness Contest. A contest incentivizing the creation of YouTube videos about horse slaughter to raise awareness.
  • Community Growth Goals. Setting ambitious goals for social media engagement and community growth.

Ask about Knowledge at Wharton

Tension

40/ 100Low tension

Related episodes