This month, perhaps coinciding with another TV season of American Idol, Pepsi started its own american idol of sorts. It's called Pepsi Refresh and according to the Refresh website:
We're looking for people, businesses, and non-profits with ideas that will have a positive impact. Look around your community and think about how you want to change it.
And, consistent with American Idol the show, nonprofits get to present themselves and their idea and the public vote for their favorite. Like American Idol, ideas don't actually have to be great nor do the nonprofits that are offering the ideas. There's no real due diligence by the public -- this is a popularity contest.
The good news -- Pepsi says it will give away $20 million. Yes, good news but will this American Idol redux really make the social impact Pepsi suggests? Really, what's the biggest impact? Pepsi does some great marketing at a relatively low cost. Nonprofits learn how to use social media to MAYBE build a constituency.
One thing that might have an even deeper impact: Pepsi should make sure all the voter email addresses for a particular idea are transferred to the votee -- that way a possible donor base is in the making. Might be as good as the actual cash Pepsi is dolling out and for those who don't win Pepsi $, this is a tangible replacement with multi-year promise.