Aid Group Scores Hit With Mafia Wars Online Game Tie-In

Direct Relief International

Twitter handle: @directrelief

What it raised: More than $804,000

The campaign: Zynga, a company that produces Mafia Wars and other games that are popular on Facebook, helped Direct Relief International raise money to aid victims of the March earthquake and tsunami in Japan, and again after a string of deadly tornadoes in the Midwest in April.

What it used: Facebook, Mafia Wars

How it worked: Zynga, which allows players of its Facebook games to purchase virtual goods, released special items in its Mafia Wars game following the disasters: a traditional fan for Japan, and a disaster-relief truck for the Midwest. Players who purchased the items, each of which cost $5, could display the items on their Facebook pages. The proceeds weredonated to Direct Relief International. Facebook, which receives 30 percent of Zynga’s sales, also chose to donate its commission to Direct Relief International.

What it accomplished: More than 30,000 first-time visitors from Zynga’s games came to Direct Relief International’s Web site in the days following the disasters. The nonprofit also got a lot of attention from people on Facebook who shared news about their donations with their friends. “We’ve gained a lot of exposure,” says Kelley Kaufman, communications manager at Direct Relief International. Zynga’s “community is very tight and active.” The efforts raised $604,849 for relief efforts in Japan, $201,077 for the Mideast tornadoes.

Why it worked: Direct Relief International became the beneficiary of Zynga’s fund-raising efforts in part because the charity provides information online about its finances and how it operates. The company wanted to make sure that the contributions would be used wisely, says Laura Hartman, director of Zynga’s efforts to assist nonprofits. “We could not have contributed the funds we did to Direct Relief International unless I could say to you in the game, ‘your money will go directly to people who are suffering in Japan,’ ” says Ms. Hartman.