TAP Project

I went out today to help with my agency's participation in the TAP Project - Dallas. Check it out: http://tapproject.org/.

Here's a basic break-down: We sign up restaurants. During World Water Week (March 16-22), participating restaurants ask their patrons if they will pay just $1 for the tap water that they usually get for free. All of that money goes to UNICEF to help children in countries where there isn't safe drinking water.

The effort last year was a 1-day event in New York and with 300 participating restaurants they were able to raise $100,000 for UNICEF. Now it has rolled out in select cities across the nation and will be going on for a week...so imagine the amount of money that UNICEF will get! The project will continue to grow in the future to be a worldwide event.

The best ideas are simple yet have enormous impact. I think this is the best fundraising program I have ever heard of and I'm so proud to be a part of it.

So yesterday and today I went to the restaurants that are in my neighborhood and tried to sign them up. Usually I was only able to drop off a flier and my business card because the decision will have to come from a general manager. Most people understood immediately and seemed interested in participating, so I hope to hear back and sign up some restaurants!

If you're reading this in Dallas and just happen to know a restaurant that would like to participate, leave me a message and I'll help sign you up.

...

So it felt really good to get out in my neighborhood and talk to some people. I have to tell you, I have some pretty swank restaurants around me so I think it would be really helpful to sign them up. I hit everywhere I could, and apparently there's someone else from my agency that lives around here too because they hit a strip center I was trying to talk to yesterday...that's okay, hopefully it will give it some validity if several people mention the same thing.

I was at one restaurant and the manager had stepped out for a moment. It's always iffy about when people will actually be available, so I went ahead and started talking to one of the waitresses there so she could pass on the information.

As soon as I said the advertising agency that I work for, she got really excited. She talked about being a communications major and trying to crack into the industry. She asked me if she could e-mail me with questions so I gave her an extra business card.

You know, I'm more than happy to help because I remember trying to talk to as many people as possible as I was trying to crack into advertising. But it still strikes me as funny when they're so enthusiastic about me being in advertising and want to pick my brain - don't get me wrong, it's really, really good...it's exactly what they should be doing. I guess I'm just really flattered when it happens.

The thing I think is most glaringly obvious is that people are really nervous about trying to get into the industry...I know I was told it would be very difficult and that put a lot of pressure on me while I was in school. I guess I just want to tell anyone out there who's trying to get in to keep at it. It is possible!! :) Yes, hard work is involved but that's true for anything worth working towards.

And again, message me and ask me questions - I will respond. In fact, big thanks to Katy (shout out!) for being the first one to do so...I'm glad if I can help in any way.


This industry will not cease to amaze you.