Minnesota superfan Aidan Jahane Gallivan was on the hunt.
Gallivan couldnt wait to get her hands on the collectors item.
She ordered it, but the album never arrived.
Photo illustration by Matthew Cooley. Photographs in illustration by Yuri Arcurs/Getty Images; Getty Images
The company had gone bankrupt.
But her dream came with conditions.
To enter for the chance to win, she had to become an activist.
Through Propeller, users take variousactivismactions, like signing a petition or joining a nonprofit organization to collect points.
Thats the beauty of the platform, Gallivan said.
Youre connected to certain things that youre like: Oh, you know what?
I actually want to learn more about that.
Its just nice to have a way to channel it.
Instagram accounts likeImpactandSo.Informedhave millions of followers and post daily.
With enticing graphics and bite-sized information, they made news and social issues simple and accessible.
Critics dubbed this the Instagram infographic industrial complex.
The way people are informed about social issues isnt the only thing thats changed, buthowpeople make social change.
But, for Gallivan, it wasntjustabout seeing Roan.
The cost for a premium account has now increased to $10 a month.
She heard some people completed 10,000 entries for the chance to meet Roan, the sites maximum limit.
I feel blessed that I was still able to have a kind of experience like that.
Ushering in a New Age of Activism
Propellers motto of Do Good Stuff.
Get Rewarded calls into question why people need to be rewarded for their good deeds in the first place.
Is the Good Samaritan still good, if they do it for a prize?
Or, in the case of social good, do the ends justify the means?
Propeller employees themselves ponder these deep thoughts, said Annie Flook, manager of artist partnerships and business development.
The list goes on.
The rise also coincided with a fundraising campaign for Propeller, which raised nearly $150,000 for Propeller itself.
Almost 90,000 fans engaged with the campaign for the chance to meet Roan at the Outside Lands music festival.
That model was well-suited for a different generation.
Theyre not accessible to everybody, Grams said.
But what do artists get?
With 2 million registered users, Propeller offers nonprofits and artists a new pool of potential supporters.
But we cannot create authenticity on behalf of an artist.
The band partnered withReverbto reduce their carbon footprint on tour and worked withHeadcountto encourage voter registration.
He feels the most authentic when he shares the causes he cares about alongside music.
She said the visibility of a celebrity or a special event can draw more people to a specific cause.
However, she warned that a celebritys intentions may not always be genuine when working with a nonprofit.
I would say almost be careful about those relationships.
They have the potential to be very persuasive, Harvey said.
He said exposure is a prominent factor when it comes to activism and encouraging support from people.
An endorsement, or not, continues to be an ever-important asset during election season.
However, that means one-third of eligible voters did not vote.
Organizations like iVoted are aiming to increase voter turnout.
It works by incentivizing voters with some of the people they admire most, like their favorite musicians.
Like Calabrese of Lake Street Dive, she said her work is an extension of her values and passion.
But iVoted is not just getting artists who seem popular among young people.
White said iVoted works with Johns Hopkins University to estimate the impact artists will have on voter turnout.
First, they analyze data that shows the top trending artists in each area.
Then they see which states or regions need more voter turnout.
From there, they figure out which artist would increase turnout the most.
Organizations like Propeller and iVoted arent the only ways nonprofits utilize social media and digital platforms to promote activism.
For some, getting rewarded for social good may seem like false altruism.
For others, the ends justify the means.
In that way, I think its incredibly creative, he added.
