Wednesday, September 09, 2009

TIMBERLAND INTRODUCES ‘09 EARTHKEEPER HEROES

Partnership With Changents.com Enables a New Generation of Environmental Activists

The Timberland Company is investing its clout and ingenuity to help elevate undiscovered, independent activists—Earthkeeper Heroes—to become catalysts of sustainable environmental movements around the world. In partnership with Changents.com, Timberland is creating a unique engagement engine to help eco-change agents get their big break on the global environmental scene.

Timberland launched its Earthkeepers Movement in the summer of 2008 in an effort to engage 1 million consumers across the globe to support environmental stewardship. The Earthkeeper Heroes program combines the evolving stories of dynamic environmental heroes with an interactive social media experience. The result is a platform that connects this generation's most exciting agents of environmental change with people around the world who can help them.

The 2009 Earthkeeper Heroes include a photoactivist, a green "trendspotter," a long distance swimmer, community-greening social entrepreneurs and a pair of eco-designers —each channelling their personal passion for the planet to create positive impact, from the New England coast to the streets of New York to the urban forests of London. Timberland’s objective is to “break” these individuals onto the global environmental scene through social media and other consumer touch-points, including live events and in-store engagement opportunities.

The Earthkeeper Heroes are using blogs, photo galleries, tweets, videos, podcasts and other social media tools at Changents.com/Earthkeepers to share their environmental stories 24/7 from the trenches to assemble worldwide support. Timberland and Changents invite the public to follow their stories online, interact directly with these emerging change agents and become their "Backers" - online teammates whose actions, big and small, help move an Earthkeeper Hero's mission forward.

As part of the campaign, people around the world can show their support for a Earthkeeper Timberland Hero by downloading or “grabbing” a Hero’s widget and placing it on their Facebook profile, MySpace page or personal website and rallying their friends to do the same. The widgets are mini-story feeds about what’s happening on the Hero’s mission—users can read Hero story updates, view new pictures and videos, and become part of their mission to make a positive impact on the environment.

If 100,000 people install an Earthkeeper Heroes widget by November 1, 2009, Timberland will unveil a publicity stunt to help the winning Hero with the most supporters get on national TV to share their story as a champion for the environment.

The inspiration for the Earthkeepers program stems from Timberland's environmentally and socially responsible operations and philosophy. Timberland is committed to becoming a carbon neutral company by cutting back emissions, using renewable energy sources and supporting environmental projects exploring alternative energy. Timberland continues to look closely at ways to reduce the environmental impact of its products, reduce waste and recycle. What's more, Timberland will green 300 communities by 2010 and plant more than 100,000 trees this year -- on track to a goal of 1 million new trees by 2010.

*Alternative Channel in partnership with Changents will soon post on its website weekly videos and stories from this year's Earthkeeper Heroes. Stay tuned!

Photo: A 2009 Earthkeeper Hero who swam 1000+mile for a healthy world...Stay tuned on Alternative Channel TV to learn more about this Hero!