It Gets Better: One Year Later
On September 21st, 2010, writer Dan Savage and his husband, Terry, created a YouTube video to respond to a growing trend of suicides among bullied gay and lesbian teens.
They had no idea that in just one year, that video would inspire a global movement of more than 25,000 user-generated videos viewed more than 40 million times, with dozens of corporate sponsors including Pixar, Google, Electronic Arts, Facebook, and more.
This week is the one-year anniversary of Blue State Digital’s launch of ItGetsBetter.org, and BSD is as proud as ever of our ongoing work on the project. Read more about the It Gets Better Project.
Many prospective clients come to us and say, “Can you make me the next ItGetsBetter.org?”
From a technical standpoint, sure – the technology that powers the website and empowers people to take action is available to any of our clients. They’re the same tools that hundreds of political campaigns, advocacy organizations, cultural and academic institutions, sports and entertainment groups, and corporations use to communicate effectively with their supporters online.
But the reason the It Gets Better Project stands out – the reason that it’s different from other websites and online programs – is because the content struck a nerve with people. It broke through the clutter by inspiring real-life, offline engagement.
ItGetsBetter.org not only shares real, heartfelt stories in a timely and meaningful way, but it sparks real-world conversations and, ultimately, action.
Today, calls to the Trevor Project suicide hotline are up 50% because teens know where to seek help. And the website has helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to help LGBT youth with projects like the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network’s safe space kits.
If you haven’t been to the website in a while, it’s worth another look. See what makes the It Gets Better Project different:
For more information about Blue State Digital's strategy & technology services, click here.