by Tony Chen

Have you noticed the recent social movements that have harnessed the power of branding and community?

- Kevin Bacon started sixdegrees.org. Visitors to Sixdegrees.org can click on a celebrity, find out what that his or her favorite charity is and then make a donation. Initially, Six Degrees was just a boardgame (that Kevin Bacon despised). But now, he's turned it into a charity that's raised $70,000+ in just a few weeks. Looks like St. Jude's Children's Hospital has a friend in Jennifer Love Hewitt.

- Global-Cool is a hip new website that encourages all of us to do little every day things to "save the planet." They are trying to get 1 billion people to reduce their CO2 output by 1 ton/year. So far, they've got 10,000 people. Simple things - unplugging your unused chargers, stuffing your freezer, lowering your laundry temperature - seem trivial, but when millions do it together, it starts to add up.

- Last and maybe most innovative: the (RED) campaign, spearheaded by Bono. You've seen the commercials - buy this (RED) phone / credit card / watch / iPOD / shirt, and you're helping to prevent AIDS in Africa. So far, $20MM raised.

You know that an idea is a good one when it makes you want to say: "I should've thought of that!" The beauty of these ideas is in their simplicity. Say what you will about the fuzziness and vagueness of "brand identity," but these ideas work primarily because of branding/association.

You can't get people to turn off the lights to save their life, but if they feel like they're a part of a community of light-turn-offers, then they will. People might not normally give to charity, but will if they feel connected to their favorite celebrity in doing so. People might not choose to buy a red ipod, but they just might if they feel like they're making a statement with Bono.

So what's the next big idea that could impact our everyday very non-hollywood hospital lives? I don't see any A-listers lining up to be a spokesman for preventing MRSA infections, helping the uninsured, or reducing medical errors.

Tell me your thoughts, and I'll share a few of my initial thoughts...
(1) Borrowing Global-Cool's idea, what are the 2 or 3 little things that everyone could do together that would change our nation's healthcare for good and forever? Exercise? Eat right? People won't do that to save their lives - literally. Somehow we'd have to link exercise & eating right with something more "emotional" - for example, if people thought exercising was patriotic, they might be more motivated to do so to help their country. Or if they realized that not exercising will eventually be linked to their children growing up having to pay 60% in taxes... I know, i know, it's a stretch, but you get the picture. help me - what's the compelling link?

(2) Borrowing Bono's thought process, what innovative partnerships could hospitals cook up? Maybe hospitals, governments, and insurance companies should team up to PAY people to get screenings or meet certain health goals? Or what if all of the Chicago hospitals & employers teamed up to make Chicago the "healthiest city in the world?" (talk about a powerful branding advantage!) Wouldn't that eventually draw entrepreneurs and employers to Chicago, and to our hospital doorsteps?