VIA Go Green!

Volunteers in Action's (VIA) "Go Green" campaign was one of a kind. I interviewed Hebatullah Khalil, head of the campaign, about their strategy of publicinzing for their events. Unlike ISLC, VIA's campaign did not primarily rely on digital rhetoric, still it was a major campaigning tool for them.

VIA arranged with the university a place and time where they would gather as many people as they can and plant an empty area near the AUC New Campus Library. They would not only plant, but spread awareness on how important it is to "GO GREEN" to save our enviroment for a better world, of which we live in today. Khalil reports, "I was so excited about this project, personally, because I, myself, am a GO GREEN person; I always use unwanted paper for sratch, never new ones; I try to save as much water as I can while showering; and I do not print e-mails unless it is necessary. Even the e-mails that I send out to people have a permanent template which requests that people, as well, do not print e-mails unless it is necessary". So my next natural question to her was, how hard did you work on your campaigning to help spread this cause you truly believe in? And how important was digital rhetoric for you? Khalil smiled and said "I worked my HARDEST, of course". She added, "as much as digital rhetoric is a main tool in our PR Campaigning, I have advised my colleagues not to rely solely on it. We reserved a booth on campus before the event with one week to have visual and personal awareness and distributed flyers as well.

Although the Digital was not the main way which "Go Green" pampaigned relied on, it still was an important tool for its success. When asked about the role of the Digital in the campaign, Khalil said "I also created a facebook event page, simply to be present in all mediums people are exposed to". VIA's facebook event was open to every one, the date and play where stated and the purpose of the event too. Admins and creators would send facebook messages to facebook users who RSVP attending or maybe attending in case of any updates about the event or simply a confirmation. I was an attending facebook user on VIA's Go Green campaign, and I must say that their use of digital rhetoric was quite impressive, yet very formula and straight to the point. When I told Khalil about my opinion, she replied, "as I told you before, our use of digital rhetoric through facebook and other mediums online is not our number one method of campiagning, aside from that and everything else I mentioned before, WORD OF MOUTH is our number one tool".

After I sat with Khalil and looked back at the interview, I realized its true. There number one tool is the use of word of mouth. And I have come to the conlcusion that, not every one prefers the use of online mediums, but every one does use them. Digital rhetoric is a tool no body can avoid, but its users vary from those who solely rely on it and those who use it because it is just the way to reach certain audiences you are targeting.

Both ways, VIA's project was very successful, a good amount of people attended their event and they did, in fact, plat trees in the university. And on the other hand, ISLC's events were, as well, successful. It is only a matter of startegy: where do you insert your most energy in?

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