Following the horrific violence perpetuated by the Islamic State (ISIS) and the recent beheading of James Foley and Steven Sotloff, Esquire Magazine is trialling a paywall related to its acclaimed The Falling Man essay. Originally published in 2003, The Falling Man was written by To Junrod about an unidentified man jumping from the World Trade Center on September 11th.
It can be difficult to grab the attention of the public when it comes to charitable endeavors, especially given the unpredictability of viral campaigns. This is why Esquire is trying a paywall, which stops Internet users from accessing a web page without a paid prescription. They are using it as a one-off strategy to drum up donations to the James Foley Scholarship Fund. Given the recent anniversary of 9/11, traffic to The Falling Man essay is higher than usual and Esquire is using this event to increase contributions.
Charitable Paywall Initiatives
Esquire's The Falling Man is Driving Donors to a Scholarship Fund
Trend Themes
1. Paywall Strategies - Exploring the use of paywalls as a one-off strategy to drive charitable donations and increase online engagement.
2. Viral Campaigns - Finding innovative ways to captivate and mobilize the public for charitable causes through viral campaigns.
3. Leveraging Historical Events - Using significant historical events, such as 9/11, to create opportunities for increased contributions and charitable support.
Industry Implications
1. Online Publishing - Online publishers can capitalize on paywall strategies to generate revenue for charitable causes while increasing brand engagement.
2. Digital Marketing - Digital marketers can explore creative and innovative approaches to create viral campaigns that inspire greater public involvement in charitable initiatives.
3. Nonprofit Sector - Nonprofit organizations can leverage significant historical events to foster community awareness and engagement in fundraising efforts for charitable causes.