Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Chris Noble, CEO of CauseMedia Group, about the controversy surrounding the water to wine “Miracle Machine.” Developed by the clean water organization Wine to Water, global public relations agency MSLGROUP and two wine industry experts, the Miracle Machine turned water into wine in three days — or so they claimed. But two weeks after announcing the machine, the hoaxters came clean and announced it was all a prank meant to promote the mission of Wine to Water. Chris, Megan and Joe debate whether it’s okay to trick people for a cause. Most causes, especially small nonprofits like Wine to Water, have trouble getting noticed amid the marketing, clutter and noise generated by big brands. Nonprofits need to be creative on how they market themselves. But does this justify trickery? We weigh the pros and cons of this interesting, controversial and disruptive cause campaign. We also suggest next steps to Wine to Water to ensure that the Miracle Machine ultimately leads to more clean water around the globe. Tune in now.
