With eloquence and enthusiasm borne of deep experience in the world of social change and philanthropy, Tom Watson describes the intersection of causes and technology and shares a compelling vision of a philanthropic future powered by the social web. This is an essential book about one of the Internet’s most important functions: bringing people together to help make our world a better place.”
—Peter Daou, Internet Advisor to Senator Hillary Clinton
November 18, 2008 – Even if you are just getting up to speed with the term “social networking” most of us are aware of the impact it has had on our society. Many of us are either on a social network site, or are being pressured to join one by our friends and even employers! Perfectly timed to address the influence social networking has had on the current political and financial landscape comes a book from John Wiley & Sons, CAUSEWIRED: PLUGGING IN, GETTING INVOLVED, CHANGING THE WORLD by Tom Watson. This book is a compilation of fact, personal stories and research that describes how this generation is using the internet to support their causes. From blogs to video to the rise of user-generated content, CAUSEWIRED tracks this trend on causes, and provides a roadmap for anyone who wants to understand it better.
From events covered 24/7 by the media such as 9/11, or Hurricane Katrina to ones that have not received that same level of attention, in many cases the internet has picked up where the coverage has died off.
Approximately half of the world’s population is under 25 years old and this generation feels that the causes they support, define them. They support them personally and financially, and then publicize that fact on social networks, such as Facebook, YouTube and MySpace. The term, CauseWired, coined by Mr. Watson, refers to an emerging group of superwired, always-on, live-life-in-public young Americans. They are superinformed consumers who expect to create and support causes, change politics, and have personal involvement in the brands they support economically.
With recommendations for successful wired social campaigns, and case study examples of organizations and people who are using social networks to save the world CAUSEWIRED, is essential reading for consumer marketers, employers, nonprofit organizations and philanthropists.
ADVANCED PRAISE FOR CAUSEWIRED:
“In CauseWired, Tom Watson has written the seminal book on peer-to-peer philanthropy and its counterpart movements in politics and branding.”
—Charles Best, Founder, DonorsChoose.org
“Whether you’re a net-native college student or a geezer like me, CauseWired is required reading if want to understand the future of activism and engagement. Tom Watson gives deep, insider perspectives on the transformative potential of social networking and other innovations for linking communication and compassion.”
—Mario Morino, Chairman, Venture Philanthropy Partners
“In sum, this is a must-read for anyone in this burgeoning social-media-for-social-change space. It is recommended reading for anyone who wants to better understand what’s taking place on the social web in general. We’re officially adding it to our sidebar of recommended reading. And we look forward to hearing about your reactions to CauseWired…and which pages you were compelled to dog-ear for future reference.”
—Steve MacLaughlin, blogger on Blackbaud.com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
TOM WATSON (Mount Vernon NY) is a journalist, media critic, entrepreneur, and blogger with a 25-year professional career that includes the founding of two companies and several popular online publications, bylines in more than a dozen major newspapers and magazines, and a history of innovation in media technology and online communities. Currently, Tom is Chief Strategy Officer of Changing Our World Inc. (onphilanthropy.com), a national philanthropic services company he helped to found. Changing Our World was acquired by the Omnicom Group in 2002, and provides a wide range of consulting services to nonprofits, corporations, foundations, and individuals in philanthropy. Tom began his career as a sportswriter and has been writing professionally for more than 25 years; his writing has appeared in The New York Times, Industry Standard, Inside, Worth, Contribute, and Wired magazines. Outside of his work with Changing Our World, Tom is the founder and publisher of newcritics.com, an online journal of cultural criticism
CAUSEWIRED
Plugging In, Getting Involved, Changing the World
Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc
Publication date November 17, 2008
$27.95; Hardcover; 272 pages; ISBN: 978-0-470-37504-4
| For more information, contact: Evelyn Perez (201) 748-6358 evperez@wiley.com |
CAUSEWIRED Plugging In, Getting Involved, Changing the World By TOM WATSON Wiley; November 17, 2008; $27.95 ISBN-13: 978-0-470-37504-4; Hardcover  |
