Jun 11
28
Social Media Get: How Mario Marathon 1Ups Charity Using Social Media #MarioMarathon
In the words of Mario “I’m-a making history!”
If you have yet to hear about Mario Marathon, it is the ultimate charity fundraiser held on Ustream to raise money for Child’s Play Charity (who donates toys and games to sick kid’s), by playing hours of Nintendo Mario games, and yes, they are making history without making a dime for themselves.
Although the Mario Marathon Team is not affiliated with Nintendo, they do use everything “Mario” to grab the attention of their viewers. They play games that only donations can unlock and continue play in rotations, so viewers never miss a thing. The ringleader of Mario Marathon is Brian Brinegar a.k.a “Shirt Guy”, who kindly lends his house to be the platform for their Marathon; however, he does not do this alone. His friends and family members help co-ordinate, play and entertain throughout the Marathon.
Mario Marathon is unlike any other charity event that exists; they incorporate a grand scale of Social Media and know how to captivate the attention of the Internet and their viewers. They use Facebook to send out trivia questions, adding scores to their website to display a leader board of people who contribute. They incorporate Twitter, tweeting links and making it a contest for people to win prizes just by retweeting. They interact continuously with their various social streams and as donations roll in, they continue giving back to their community with various amazing prizes.
They broadcast live from UStream and invite us not only to take part in donating to Child’s Play Charity but also to become a part of the unfolding process. This is the success of a proper Social Media campaign. Asking people to be a part of something while entertaining and relaying donations, taking requests and adding fun games makes watching them even more entertaining. All the while, you have the ability to watch the Mario game they are playing at that time.
Each member of the Mario Marathon Team takes vacation to help Child’s Play Charity give toys to kids who are hospitalized, and in some cases have been sick their entire lives. The Mario Marathon Team does this selflessly, they are not paid, nor do they have access to the donation money and in fact, they contribute a lot of their own money to ensure the success of the Marathon. They most definitely help put the child in CHILDhood.
They are now on Mario Marathon 4 and I had the privilege of interviewing them last year alongside a Social Media show I took part in known as Social Blade. They are still going strong on UStream, playing Mario, interacting with each other and their social streams. Thus far, they have raised over $94925.74 and growing by the minute – Mario Marathon will end sometime this week but what they have done for sick kids will live on forever and you can take part by spreading the word and if you can, donating what you can afford, it DOES make a world of difference.
Mario Marathon is definitely doing what Mario says,
“Life is a game, kid! It all depends on how you play!”
Read Mario Marathon 4′s Press Release
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Erin Ryan is a writer for various blogs and a Social Media Specialist who has a keen understanding of the power of Social Media for business and fervently stays up-to-date with the Social Media Industry. Erin enjoys teaching and helping people and businesses on how to use and connect through Social Media. You can connect with Erin on Twitter or read more Social Media Articles written by Erin Ryan.
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Connect with Erin Ryan
+Erin Ryan is a writer for various Social Media & Tech blogs and currently works within the Social Media Industry. Erin has a keen understanding of the power of Social Media for business and fervently stays up-to-date. Creator and head editor of Socialeyezer, a social media news, cyberculture and geek guide She enjoys finding the latest in social media, tech and geek culture. Erin often expresses her thoughts and opinions on TheErinRyan A Personal Approach to Social Media. Connect further on Erin Ryan's Social Networks through her About.me Profile.
