- Chris Ward (Social Entrepreneur)
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Chris Ward (Social Entrepreneur)
Chris Ward is a member of the Social Legacy Board for the London 2012 Olympics and a social entrepreneur who has worked to raise millions of pounds for charities both in the UK and abroad.Blue Dot World
Ward is currently chairman of Blue Dot World, a company which engages businesses and individuals with over 9000 charitable causes through a virtual currency mechanism. The concept relies on offering Blue Dots as rewards[1] to individuals who volunteer, promote charities through their social network profiles, or donate money to causes. These 'Dots' can then be redeemed against rewards provided by various businesses such as Amazon and displayed on active CVs. The company’s beta website was officially launched in September 2011 and has gathered support from politicians of all parties as well as celebrities.
Past enterprises
In 2009 Ward was creative communications director for Comic Relief's & the BBC’s Red Nose Day,[2] which became the biggest single fundraiser in history, raising over £82 million. He was seconded from Comic Relief in order to act as a director for the 1GOAL[3] initiative,[4] which was the legacy campaign of the FIFA 2010 World Cup in South Africa. It engaged 18 million supporters[5] and secured £400 million in pledges by global governments.
In 2006 Ward created isporty.com, a social sports website with the BBC as its main client.[6] Its proposition was to allow the UK’s 'grassroots' sports men and women to network and access sport content relating to local, national and international sports.
Prior to his involvement with charity initiatives and campaigns, Ward founded Beatwax in 1992, which was the UK’s first specialist student marketing company.[7] Over the years the company grew to become one of the country’s most important contemporary communication agencies, named as “fastest growing agency” by PR Week and awarded the PR Campaign of the Year award by the same publication in 2002 for its innovative campaign for website Friends Reunited. In 1999 he founded First Movies, a research and marketing company for the global film industry.[8] He sold First Movies and Beatwax in 2001 and left his role as CEO in both companies in 2003.Awards
PR Weekly: Fastest Growing Agency 2002 (Beatwax)
PR Weekly: Campaign of the Year 2002 (Friends Reunited – Beatwax)[9]
Yahoo: Find of the Year 2006 (isporty)
Prix Italia: Best Website in conjunction with BBC 2009 (Red Nose Day)
References
- ^ Third Sector: Website will reward donors with music or video http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/news/1070724/Website-will-reward-donors-music-video/
- ^ BBC News: Comic Relief gets a digital push http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7938178.stm
- ^ Time Live (Desmond Tutu) From the soccer pitch to the schoolroom http://www.timeslive.co.za/opinion/columnists/article531580.ece/From-the-soccer-pitch-to-the-schoolroom
- ^ One India News: Join to score 1GOAL in World Cup http://news.oneindia.in/2010/06/28/join-to-score-1goal-in-world-cup.html
- ^ Sport 24: 1Goal to educate millions http://www.sport24.co.za/Soccer/WorldCup/NationalNews/1Goal-to-educate-millions-20100703
- ^ Sport Business: Isporty Launches Cycling Social Network with BBC http://www.sportbusiness.com/news/162147/isporty-launches-cycling-social-network-bbc
- ^ The Independent: Marketing: Chasing future big spenders: Companies are recognising that student consumers may stay brand-loyal in later life http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/marketing-chasing-future-big-spenders-companies-are-recognising-that-student-consumers-may-stay-brandloyal-in-later-life-1439240.html
- ^ Marketing Magazine: First Movies to offer targeted research http://www.marketingmagazine.co.uk/news/130675/First-Movies-offer-targeted-research/?DCMP=ILC-SEARCH
- ^ Brand Republic: PRWEEK AWARDS: Gold - The Foresight Award - Campaign of the Year http://www.brandrepublic.com/news/162917/PRWEEK-AWARDS-Gold---Foresight-Award---Campaign-Year/
External links
- Blue Dot World Facebook: Blue Dot World on Facebook
- Blue Dot World Official Website: Blue Dot World
- 1GOAL Official Website: 1GOAL: Education for All
- 1GOAL Facebook: 1 GOAL on facebook
Press coverage and mentions – Blue Dot World
- http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/news/1070724/Website-will-reward-donors-music-video/
- http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/may/19/andrew-lansley-david-cameron-nhs-reforms-society-daily-email
- http://www.charitycomms.org.uk/news/sector_news/website_will_reward_donors_with_music_or_video
- https://www.clearlyso.com/company/2662/BlueDot.html
- http://www.footanstey.com/updates-a-publications/744-bright-blue-dot
Press coverage and mentions – 1GOAL
- http://www.breakingtravelnews.com/news/article/1goal-aims-to-break-10m-mark/
- http://www.figarodigital.co.uk/case-study/onegoal.aspx
- http://www.scribd.com/doc/28130314/Chris-Ward-1GOAL-World-Cup-2010-Legacy
- http://www.timeslive.co.za/opinion/columnists/article531580.ece/From-the-soccer-pitch-to-the-schoolroom
- http://sciencecentres.org.uk/about/groups/marketing/
- http://www.worldfootballhouse.com/news/article/1goal-launches-partnership-with-sabc
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YGPsc-rlNo
- http://digigen.co.uk/2010/01/22/mfootball-conference-a-mobile-conference-about-football-no-less/
- http://www.sport24.co.za/Soccer/WorldCup/NationalNews/1Goal-to-educate-millions-20100703
- http://news.oneindia.in/2010/06/28/join-to-score-1goal-in-world-cup.html
Press coverage and mentions – Comic Relief
- http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/news/archive/816782/Comic-Relief-sets-new-communications-department/?DCMP=ILC-SEARCH
- http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7938178.stm
- http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/oct/31/television
- http://www.fundraising.co.uk/blog/2009/06/19/iof-south-west-holds-internet-fundraising-and-social-media-conference
- http://comicrelief-hackathon.com/judges/
- http://itsopen.co.uk/red-nose-day-to-be-on-social-networks
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/bbcinternet/2009/09/prix_italia_for_the_red_nose_w.html
Press coverage and mentions – isporty
- http://www.thefreelibrary.com/UK+social+sport+website+launched+at+Isporty.com.-a0159712247
- http://mashable.com/2007/02/21/isporty/
- http://www.sportbusiness.com/news/162147/isporty-launches-cycling-social-network-bbc
- http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=32629510
- http://olaguide.com/isporty-launches-social-site-for-sport.html
Press coverage and mentions – First Movies
- http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/news/131834/UIP-joins-First-Movies-promote-film/?DCMP=ILC-SEARCH
- http://www.allbusiness.com/services/motion-pictures/4846363-1.html
- http://www.marketingmagazine.co.uk/news/130675/First-Movies-offer-targeted-research/?DCMP=ILC-SEARCH
Press coverage and mentions – Beatwax
- http://www.screendaily.com/beatwax-founder-launches-kids-brand-campaign/4021408.article
- http://www.silobreaker.com/former-beatwax-ceo-chris-ward-seeks-pr-agency-for-charitable-venture-5_2264718296848793639
- http://www.mediaweek.co.uk/news/93500/FFI-Beatwax-merge-keep-young/
- http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/marketing-chasing-future-big-spenders-companies-are-recognising-that-student-consumers-may-stay-brandloyal-in-later-life-1439240.html
- http://www.brandrepublic.com/news/162917/PRWEEK-AWARDS-Gold---Foresight-Award---Campaign-Year/
Categories:- Living people
- Social entrepreneurship
- British philanthropists
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