I've watched many children in small villages in Ethiopia walk in to a local shop, and, for the cost of 5 birr (25 cents USD), purchase a bottle of coca-cola. These children would not even consider buying a bottle of clean water at 8 birr (40 cents USD), when they had unclean water to drink for free. But my question then was, why purchase coca cola at all if they had something to drink at no cost? The answer I got over and over and over again: "because it fills me up." When experiencing a great amount of hunger and often starvation, sugar can definitely create a satisfied feeling. Coca Cola has not reached all of these places by simply using real time data, tapping in to local talent, and producing great marketing. Coca Cola has reached so many places because the product itself is addictive by nature and a cheaper, faster alternative to clean water and hunger.
Nice clear and direct response. I am in the midst of launching my non profit to help humanity suffering poverty and help bring true light and purpose to individuals lives to hopefully bring order and precise structure back into the lives and families that are going back into our society. So I came to this video to learn something from this representative of coca cola , thinking I may ask them down the line if they would like to donate or partnership. I personally don't drink soda products. I have not had a can or bottle or glass of soda in over 10 years. Your answer was in complete Truth , considering the many lives that are taken by heart disease hugely affected by soda products. Everything matters , and this spur of the moment video i saw sparked interest but I immediately went to comments and read yours and was TRUTH , so the short way to end this is thank you.
Coke is slowly killing of the world's population (being ubiquitous everywhere) with its sugar water concoction inducing diabetes and Buffet is sooo proud of this garbage. Why is so much invested in this garbage?
Please understand the message. She is more than 100 right - we have something to lean from the innovators - she used cocacola as an example. She is saying - lets think out of the box. She is right and I sincerely encourage her and many like her to continue with a good work! The world needs people like her. For us in the developing world working with communities we immediately understand what she is saying. I have learned a lot from her talk.
I understand the viewpoint that aid needs to be "marketed" effectively. Having travelled myself, I have seen that Coke is everywhere. The point of this TED is not to congratulate Coke for seizing the whole sector, but understand how it has managed to get to every corner of the globe and be available to all who want it. If aid were to take a similar approach, it can reach more people in need. Please understand this, and don't undermine the idea of intelligent aid distribution.
Absolutely Mind blowing facts and insights put forth by Ms. Gates! World needs more intellectual people like her to contribute in the betterment of this 🌎! Kudos! 🎉
good job !! i like the simplicity of the talk .... Bill & Melinda are doing a great job and are setting a great example for the rich, by giving away so much back to the society. I don't understand people who leave stupid & biased comments about things which they don't understand or about people they dont even know. it shows their level of maturity (or the lack of it !!).
You're missing the point if you're bashing Coke. She's not saying Coke is good or bad, she's saying what you can LEARN from coke to save lives, non profit can do more if they take what corporations do so well. Nobel peace prize for Melinda Gates
I really like how Bill and Melissa Gate foundation are so into real results in their aid activities, learning from the private sector. After working a while for unicef in Malawi I was completely disillisioned on aid, and most people there do not think like this at all.
I love the idea. One of the roadblocks that pops up is there is not enough money to be made in condoms, sanitation, and vaccinations. That said, there are some amazing social entrepreneurs out there who are proving this wrong. Doing good and making a living can be a microbusiness mission too, not only corporate entities. As a side note on the topic of corporate behavior, 1,000 small businesses employing 10 people each are much more economically stable than...
@geragna Actually, she was never a model. You could've found that out with a simple Wikipedia search. Your mistake is in not having a clear definition as to what "greed and injustice" are. If by "injustice" you mean starving people by not affording them business skills and technology, then I agree with you. If you think "injustice" is anything involving corporations, then you're wrong. Also, greed is not merely wanting more money, it's about wanting it at the expense of others.
One of the most profoundly beneficial things wealthy philanthropists could do for humanity would be to create a billion dollar prize for anyone who can find a cost effective way to desalinate sea water. (By "cost effective" I mean competitive with the watershed in temperate climates. Also, disposal of waste brine would have to be figured in.) Look at how much marginal land would become productive if we had this. They say that water will be more precious than oil in the next century.
@jedaqia I addressed your question in my previous post. What sense is there in repeatedly asking the same question when it has been met with a sufficient answer? Or what is the sense in asking the same question, but in a rhetorical context?
My admiration and respect for this amazing woman!. She has everything but she cares about the unprivileged and work hard to help them. Melinda French Gates you are a amazing human being. God bless you! 🤗❤️
Let's stay focussed on the point, which is not about Coca-Cola as a product, but about their genius in creating a brand image. It is this type of thinking and imaging that would be a helpful change for the non-profits who actually do good in the world (and it's not about what people view as good, not everyone will agree). The ASPCA has made efforts recently in this direction. It's about bringing to light the positive aspects of those things in the world that we would actually want to support.
I agree with the 3 components discussed by Mrs. Gates. In my country, several NGOs despise big corporation which prevents them from thinking like one. Their data is just their observation, they don't know the right way to communicate with locals, and poor marketing. They always give ultimatums instead of inspiring people to be healthy. Marketing is in everything, even friendships. So we always have to think like a marketer
Considering how without GM research most of the world would have suffered starvation a long time ago, i think it's safe to say there's nothing wrong with it (Monsanto might have questionable ethics but when you're a corporation that large, money starts to plague the mind).
Real impressed by the presentation. I think that current sanitation marketing strategies are adopting lessons learned on commercial marketing with promising outcomes.
the comments are missing the point: The idea is that capitalism demands profit, and local stores are willing to sell the product...she discusses the importance of entrepeneurs. And that is important for Africa's development. and why do you drink it? It's sweet, you can carry it with you, and you know that you won't catch typhoid or cholera from drinking coke (unlike the local water in some isolated villages).
@Mrmoc7 Yes, I do agree with you. I am not saying circumssion shouldn't be used at all, I am saying that since the fact remains that condoms have tove used regardless of whether one is circumcised or not the main focuss of the "advertising" should be on increasing condom use and after that in circumcission. But like I said I agree with your point(s).
I feel like I got more put of this talk than most people, because I didn't read the title and judge the talk based on who was speaking. In fact I didn't realize who it was till one the comments said, then I read the title and it made more sense. Also the Bill Gates picture tipped me off a little.
@EFESORJM Circumcision wasn't the point of her lecture; the point was how to market ideas, and the story about circumcision was used as an example. Whether or not circumcision actually works as advertised is completely beside the point. Try to get a more throughout understanding on her message before judging it.
TED can be a on and off especially recently but I think this is great Info especially if your a Business Economics Major. Great content Melinda thanks a lot!
About blessed time someone in a position of 'influence' makes this observation to the Global audience :-D Let's hope the right people are listening now !
Relax, Somalis just have that habit. They don't on average care what country they grew up in, where they live etc. They're real hard on their ethnic identity. The Somali identity in general transcends nations. For example, the Somali flag with its five pointed star represents five regions where ethnic Somalis live indigenously- Northern Somalia, Southern Somalia, Northern Kenya, Eastern Ethiopia or the Somali Region as it is called and Djibouti. I meet people from Djibouti all the time who unhesitantingly say "I'm Somali" and then mention that they're a Somali from Djibouti like it's a side note. K'nan probably means no offense to Canada when he maintains his ethnic identity, it's just a thing Somalis do. Even one of my aunts who has an American passport always tells people she's Somali, when they ask her why she does this she says "My blood and my bones are Somali, what makes me American are a bunch of documents and where I lived for a few years." Ethiopians and Eritreans who are our kin also sometimes do this, from what I've noticed. It's just excessive ethnic pride. Take no offense, friend. Being Somali has little to do with being from Somalia and more to do with being an Ethnic Somali, not all Somali citizens are even ethnically Somali for example. There are people of Bantu/ Swahili heritage to the south of the country who are ancient migrants or whose ancestors were sadly taken as slaves during the middle ages and there are even Turkish Somali nationals who are descended from Ottoman Turks who held the Northern areas briefly, there are arabs and persians descended from merchants who settled in our cities during the middle ages etc. All these people are citizens of our country or were (and their ancestors lived in what is now Somalia for centuries) before they left during the civil war but an ethnic Somali whose ancestors lived in Kenya for thousands of years will always be more "Somali" than any of them ever will be even if he doesn't speak a word of Somali, it's an ethnic identity that has transcended nations since its very conception. But if I were K'naan I'd give a Canada some rep, I'd still be big on being a Somali but c'mon, you spent a lot of your life in Canada. Don't be an ingrate and give the country some rep, is how I'd see it... From what I've noticed, he barely seems to mention being Canadian or is barely advertised as such, that's wrong if you ask me personally. I know this a painfully late reply but I just hope my explanation helps you understand why he and other people keep indentifying him as Somali.
@TheEarthAbides The reason a company can be quite so insidious is competence. And there's always something to learn from that, including the pragmatic, perhaps even slightly tawdry usage of transitional identities to effectively and skilfully communicate with a populace.
I take issue with the example of circumcision. It's not something you should do because of aesthetics. It's like pulling a tooth before it's diseased. Ms. Gates doesn't know anything about it. Very inappropriate to push it. My first thought was she must be Jewish if she thinks this is so important. And a quick search revealed she is in fact Jewish. So, of course she thinks it's the right thing to do. A majority of the world is uncircumcised without problems. Not being circumcised is not the problem. The spread of sexual disease is not tied to circumcision. It's tied to the choices men make.
Coke succeeds because, yes it has a good marketing team and distribution strategy, but more importantly because: * Religion doesn't ban coke (well, Mormons ban caffeine, but that's a minor point) * There isn't a rising tide of pseudo-science against Coke. It's well understood to cause health issues, people understand the proven risks. Now if you're trying to rid diseases from the world, you have to fight religion, politics, and pseudo science... on top of having an "aspirational" campaign.
@Lazerguy5 ""Somali-Canadian" isn't petty, I don't care that he has lived in Canada, but it is a distinction from living and producing this track in Somalia. If you want to say that Coke remixed the song, even if that's true, is still a lot different then saying Coke made the song. Contrast that with the song, "We've only just begun" that was written for a bank commercial. The problem with AIDS in Africa isn't the foreskin, it's condom rejection in a promiscuous culture.
I love how circumcision is only looked as a health benefit and not an enforced religious decree; there's a reason why you see CocaCola in settlements trying to get clean water; because Coke owns the right to their resources
This was important... she was explaining a way to push education (for instance) in, let's say, poor cultures? That way, we can "sell" and spread education. That way, we can make a better world.
@geragna You have yet to point out what is wrong with my arguments (except by merely stating they are wrong). Wikipedia has actually been rated as a very good source of information compared to most encyclopedias. I don't believe that corporations cannot be unjust. I disagree that corporations are unjust by fact of being corporations. Google is a corporation and has been a proponent of free speech by leaving China. Microsoft is a corporation and funded the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
@Lazerguy5 He lived in Somalia until he was 13, that in your mind makes him strictly Somalian at the age of 32. It's not petty to call him Somali-Canadian, or Somali-American, or where he spent over half of his life, it establishes that he lives, works and spent the better part of his life in a country that is nothing like Somalia. This impacts the audiences perception. THAT is my point. If studies show that stitching a woman's labia closed lowered HIV rates would you be for that too?
@JohnGuitarSolo Thank you for posting your username at the bottom of you comment. Otherwise i would not have known that it was infact you that posted the comment. I applaud you.
@GeofsFilms i know what you mean, yes, Coke does look better in this TED talk, but i dont think that's her intention, she's saying Coke's marketing is good, their logistics are good and they operate efficiently, and all she's saying is that you can transfer those skills to non profits. The whole point for the talk IS about learning from Coke, so yes, you do have to mention them. I see your comment below about Coke's exploitation, but I would like to see more informed, credible sources.
Coca Cola is good at marketing - but I bet they couldnt get one of the richest people in the world to talk at one of the most informative and respected platforms in the world without paying a single cent. Oh wait ...
Coca-Cola has great marketing, but in my country they once made an add with talking sardines (it's a fish), because it is one of our tradicional dishes, and it backfired because nobody eats sardines with coke (we prefer it with meat, pizza or fast-food). Still, to me, the main reason a bottle of Coka-Cola gets everywhere is because the company WANTS it. In case of vaccines (or other), goverments and institutions DON'T. They get paid the same just by saying they do... we have no way to confirm.
Some really good advice in here and credit to Melinda Gates for the work she's trying to do. Gates Foundation needs to partner with colalife DOT org who are already trying this stuff.
@GrudgyDiablo Apparently, you didn't read the comment in which he said: "Condom use is most important, above everything else." As fair as I know, he is not talking about the circumcission of babies. He means the kind that the video mentions: men volunteering to have circumcssion to reduce HIV-risk. I agree that condom use is most important and that child circumcission is wrong. But in highly infected areas voluntary adult circumcission is a good spportive action in reducing infection rates.
essentially i see the point as. it would be nice if talented marketing firms used their talents for more ngos that stood for equality and a dignfied life...
@rm06c The 80% that you are referring to do not fall under my afore mentioned classification of the Coca Cola company. These people that are "simply interested in feeding and providing for their family," are of a separate classification. Their primary goal, as you stated, is to provide for their family. I am not at all 'anti-globalization", as you have put it. I am against the idea that injustice and greed will lead to happiness and wellbeing. This should not become a model for our future.
@Silkspine I do agree with the criticism on the circumcision promotion. There's no clear evidence about its effectiveness and using a condom is guaranteed more effective than circumcision. But even still, the bulk of her talk was very good and demonstrates a great method of using the power of business and marketing to achieve real important objectives like the millennium goals.
Please... take your rant elsewhere. She used Coca Cola as an example because of how ubiquitous they are. No other brand has done what Coke has done as far as promotion goes.
Melinda is a true hero in my estimation. Most of the negative comments here I suspect have roots in jealousy because she is rich. Compare her to the likes of the Kardashians and Hiltons. She could spend her days sipping Belinis on a yacht, but she choses to visit places of unbearable poverty to develop real world solutions to horrible problems. She wants to use effective tools to reduce unescessary death and suffering, what idiot argues with that.
I knew right from the first mention of mothers that she would say something really trite, and I wasn't disapointed. Of course they want the same things for their kids, we're all biologically conditioned to. Omg, they're human, just like us!
@cbigpicture: She makes an important observation on Evaluation. Non-Profits and gov'ts carry project audits after expenditures...closing the barn after the horse bolted!
cant look at everything so pessimistically. the most humanly thing to do is to learn. we learn from everyone, even those enemies and poeple that we don't like, such as coke. everyone should learn from each others successes
They can learn to monopolize the distribution channel and extort the retailers if they want to sell products from the competition? It's easy to be provocative, right?
Well look at what we have now? Covid19 really would have lesser impact and governments & ngos had more time to prepare if information was on time. Right?
People are dying of starvation by the 1000s everyday, way more than die of polio. The polio kids will still be there. People are dying now of starvation and gates gives them poisoned monsanto food which is insulting. And not even food most of the time, most goes to GM FOOD RESEARCH. The only reason he does it is to gift is corporate Monsanto friends with the donations. He really doesnt give a crap about suffering of people that seems quite obvious to me
"successful" - does that mean working for a foundation that promotes artificial contraception which is in direct opposition to the Catholic faith you practice? what does it profit...
@rm06c There are so many problems with your arguement here. Firstly, I am surprised that you would refer me to Wikipedia as a reliable source of information. The idea that Mrs. Gates was once a model could have been information that I obtained through Wikipedia, for all you know; though I do thank you for correcting my error of ignorance. Why do you belive that corporations cannot be unjust? The very art of being unjust is to provide or to gain for yourself at the expense of or with a...
@rm06c ...that is why a large number of American companies outsource to other countries. They have lower standards and they can pay these people far less than they would have to pay an American citizen. The definition of greed is very simple (you can google this for christ sake), it is the wanting or desire to have more than is necessary ,e.g., wealth, power. Clothes and food are absolutely necessary. Making $500,000 and up without contributing to the rest of humanity....
Not that anyone can physically stop them but people in poverty should not have children. Anyone encouraging them to do so are irresponsible and enemies of humanity.
I've watched many children in small villages in Ethiopia walk in to a local shop, and, for the cost of 5 birr (25 cents USD), purchase a bottle of coca-cola. These children would not even consider buying a bottle of clean water at 8 birr (40 cents USD), when they had unclean water to drink for free. But my question then was, why purchase coca cola at all if they had something to drink at no cost? The answer I got over and over and over again: "because it fills me up." When experiencing a great amount of hunger and often starvation, sugar can definitely create a satisfied feeling. Coca Cola has not reached all of these places by simply using real time data, tapping in to local talent, and producing great marketing. Coca Cola has reached so many places because the product itself is addictive by nature and a cheaper, faster alternative to clean water and hunger.
Cool! Give everyone some coca-cola! Re-sell it if they want! That's free enterprise!
Everyone should ask Buffet why he invests in this death drink that does more damage than good to this world?
Nice clear and direct response. I am in the midst of launching my non profit to help humanity suffering poverty and help bring true light and purpose to individuals lives to hopefully bring order and precise structure back into the lives and families that are going back into our society. So I came to this video to learn something from this representative of coca cola , thinking I may ask them down the line if they would like to donate or partnership. I personally don't drink soda products. I have not had a can or bottle or glass of soda in over 10 years. Your answer was in complete Truth , considering the many lives that are taken by heart disease hugely affected by soda products. Everything matters , and this spur of the moment video i saw sparked interest but I immediately went to comments and read yours and was TRUTH , so the short way to end this is thank you.
My non profit is called "Light after Dark ARAPHEL"
I want to say many bad words but thanks to cencorship :) . You all are getting paid by coca cola and i hate you all
My hat's off to those commentators with the intellectual capacity to understand this is not about Coke, or how Melinda Gates looks.
Ray G. Penner - haha
😂 lol
Coke is slowly killing of the world's population (being ubiquitous everywhere) with its sugar water concoction inducing diabetes and Buffet is sooo proud of this garbage. Why is so much invested in this garbage?
Marvellous! It's great to hear a true Globalist take the stage and present great solutions! We're big fans.
Please understand the message. She is more than 100 right - we have something to lean from the innovators - she used cocacola as an example. She is saying - lets think out of the box. She is right and I sincerely encourage her and many like her to continue with a good work! The world needs people like her. For us in the developing world working with communities we immediately understand what she is saying. I have learned a lot from her talk.
I understand the viewpoint that aid needs to be "marketed" effectively. Having travelled myself, I have seen that Coke is everywhere. The point of this TED is not to congratulate Coke for seizing the whole sector, but understand how it has managed to get to every corner of the globe and be available to all who want it.
If aid were to take a similar approach, it can reach more people in need. Please understand this, and don't undermine the idea of intelligent aid distribution.
Absolutely Mind blowing facts and insights put forth by Ms. Gates! World needs more intellectual people like her to contribute in the betterment of this 🌎! Kudos! 🎉
Excellent presentation, in the non profit sector we need to take good ideas and approaches from wherever we find them
good job !! i like the simplicity of the talk .... Bill & Melinda are doing a great job and are setting a great example for the rich, by giving away so much back to the society. I don't understand people who leave stupid & biased comments about things which they don't understand or about people they dont even know. it shows their level of maturity (or the lack of it !!).
You're missing the point if you're bashing Coke. She's not saying Coke is good or bad, she's saying what you can LEARN from coke to save lives, non profit can do more if they take what corporations do so well. Nobel peace prize for Melinda Gates
Best Quote: "...and that's why I took the time to study Coke."
I really like how Bill and Melissa Gate foundation are so into real results in their aid activities, learning from the private sector. After working a while for unicef in Malawi I was completely disillisioned on aid, and most people there do not think like this at all.
I love the idea. One of the roadblocks that pops up is there is not enough money to be made in condoms, sanitation, and vaccinations.
That said, there are some amazing social entrepreneurs out there who are proving this wrong. Doing good and making a living can be a microbusiness mission too, not only corporate entities.
As a side note on the topic of corporate behavior, 1,000 small businesses employing 10 people each are much more economically stable than...
Thanks Melinda - this is powerful talk I leaned a lot!
I want to correct something she said. I stopped drinking Coca Cola 2 weeks ago. Now they sell only 1.45 billion servings per day.
I dont get what your point is I read the article but it doesn't take a stance on circumcision.
@geragna
Actually, she was never a model. You could've found that out with a simple Wikipedia search.
Your mistake is in not having a clear definition as to what "greed and injustice" are. If by "injustice" you mean starving people by not affording them business skills and technology, then I agree with you.
If you think "injustice" is anything involving corporations, then you're wrong.
Also, greed is not merely wanting more money, it's about wanting it at the expense of others.
One of the most profoundly beneficial things wealthy philanthropists could do for humanity would be to create a billion dollar prize for anyone who can find a cost effective way to desalinate sea water. (By "cost effective" I mean competitive with the watershed in temperate climates. Also, disposal of waste brine would have to be figured in.) Look at how much marginal land would become productive if we had this. They say that water will be more precious than oil in the next century.
@jedaqia I addressed your question in my previous post. What sense is there in repeatedly asking the same question when it has been met with a sufficient answer? Or what is the sense in asking the same question, but in a rhetorical context?
Great speech🍎
As always this is very impressive !
Love the new videos Ted
John Guitar Solo
inspirational and touching and heart felt and a real wonderful, compelling set of ideas and thoughts.
What are your sources to support your position?
My admiration and respect for this amazing woman!. She has everything but she cares about the unprivileged and work hard to help them. Melinda French Gates you are a amazing human being. God bless you! 🤗❤️
You should watch The Corbett Report program "Who is Bill Gates" and you'll feel quite differently!
Let's stay focussed on the point, which is not about Coca-Cola as a product, but about their genius in creating a brand image. It is this type of thinking and imaging that would be a helpful change for the non-profits who actually do good in the world (and it's not about what people view as good, not everyone will agree). The ASPCA has made efforts recently in this direction. It's about bringing to light the positive aspects of those things in the world that we would actually want to support.
I agree with the 3 components discussed by Mrs. Gates. In my country, several NGOs despise big corporation which prevents them from thinking like one. Their data is just their observation, they don't know the right way to communicate with locals, and poor marketing. They always give ultimatums instead of inspiring people to be healthy. Marketing is in everything, even friendships. So we always have to think like a marketer
@ruagamer I would LOVE to have a guide like this in all the TEDtalks. Man, this would save me SO MUCH time!!
So, Thx for the guide.
Considering how without GM research most of the world would have suffered starvation a long time ago, i think it's safe to say there's nothing wrong with it (Monsanto might have questionable ethics but when you're a corporation that large, money starts to plague the mind).
Real impressed by the presentation. I think that current sanitation marketing strategies are adopting lessons learned on commercial marketing with promising outcomes.
brilliant video some very interesting points
the comments are missing the point: The idea is that capitalism demands profit, and local stores are willing to sell the product...she discusses the importance of entrepeneurs. And that is important for Africa's development.
and why do you drink it? It's sweet, you can carry it with you, and you know that you won't catch typhoid or cholera from drinking coke (unlike the local water in some isolated villages).
tioedong m
@Mrmoc7
Yes, I do agree with you. I am not saying circumssion shouldn't be used at all, I am saying that since the fact remains that condoms have tove used regardless of whether one is circumcised or not the main focuss of the "advertising" should be on increasing condom use and after that in circumcission.
But like I said I agree with your point(s).
I feel like I got more put of this talk than most people, because I didn't read the title and judge the talk based on who was speaking. In fact I didn't realize who it was till one the comments said, then I read the title and it made more sense. Also the Bill Gates picture tipped me off a little.
@EFESORJM
Circumcision wasn't the point of her lecture; the point was how to market ideas, and the story about circumcision was used as an example. Whether or not circumcision actually works as advertised is completely beside the point. Try to get a more throughout understanding on her message before judging it.
TED can be a on and off especially recently but I think this is great Info especially if your a Business Economics Major. Great content Melinda thanks a lot!
About blessed time someone in a position of 'influence' makes this observation to the Global audience :-D
Let's hope the right people are listening now !
Isn't Coke supposed to be addictive?
Somali hip-hop artist is Canadian!! That is where he lives, that is where he pushed hi demo, that is where he works, his family and all.
Relax, Somalis just have that habit. They don't on average care what country they grew up in, where they live etc. They're real hard on their ethnic identity. The Somali identity in general transcends nations. For example, the Somali flag with its five pointed star represents five regions where ethnic Somalis live indigenously- Northern Somalia, Southern Somalia, Northern Kenya, Eastern Ethiopia or the Somali Region as it is called and Djibouti. I meet people from Djibouti all the time who unhesitantingly say "I'm Somali" and then mention that they're a Somali from Djibouti like it's a side note. K'nan probably means no offense to Canada when he maintains his ethnic identity, it's just a thing Somalis do. Even one of my aunts who has an American passport always tells people she's Somali, when they ask her why she does this she says "My blood and my bones are Somali, what makes me American are a bunch of documents and where I lived for a few years." Ethiopians and Eritreans who are our kin also sometimes do this, from what I've noticed.
It's just excessive ethnic pride. Take no offense, friend. Being Somali has little to do with being from Somalia and more to do with being an Ethnic Somali, not all Somali citizens are even ethnically Somali for example. There are people of Bantu/ Swahili heritage to the south of the country who are ancient migrants or whose ancestors were sadly taken as slaves during the middle ages and there are even Turkish Somali nationals who are descended from Ottoman Turks who held the Northern areas briefly, there are arabs and persians descended from merchants who settled in our cities during the middle ages etc. All these people are citizens of our country or were (and their ancestors lived in what is now Somalia for centuries) before they left during the civil war but an ethnic Somali whose ancestors lived in Kenya for thousands of years will always be more "Somali" than any of them ever will be even if he doesn't speak a word of Somali, it's an ethnic identity that has transcended nations since its very conception.
But if I were K'naan I'd give a Canada some rep, I'd still be big on being a Somali but c'mon, you spent a lot of your life in Canada. Don't be an ingrate and give the country some rep, is how I'd see it... From what I've noticed, he barely seems to mention being Canadian or is barely advertised as such, that's wrong if you ask me personally.
I know this a painfully late reply but I just hope my explanation helps you understand why he and other people keep indentifying him as Somali.
Excellent!...Thank you.
@TheEarthAbides
The reason a company can be quite so insidious is competence. And there's always something to learn from that, including the pragmatic, perhaps even slightly tawdry usage of transitional identities to effectively and skilfully communicate with a populace.
I take issue with the example of circumcision. It's not something you should do because of aesthetics. It's like pulling a tooth before it's diseased. Ms. Gates doesn't know anything about it. Very inappropriate to push it. My first thought was she must be Jewish if she thinks this is so important. And a quick search revealed she is in fact Jewish. So, of course she thinks it's the right thing to do. A majority of the world is uncircumcised without problems. Not being circumcised is not the problem. The spread of sexual disease is not tied to circumcision. It's tied to the choices men make.
Coke succeeds because, yes it has a good marketing team and distribution strategy, but more importantly because:
* Religion doesn't ban coke (well, Mormons ban caffeine, but that's a minor point)
* There isn't a rising tide of pseudo-science against Coke. It's well understood to cause health issues, people understand the proven risks.
Now if you're trying to rid diseases from the world, you have to fight religion, politics, and pseudo science... on top of having an "aspirational" campaign.
So sad, so true :(
Great talk
@Lazerguy5 ""Somali-Canadian" isn't petty, I don't care that he has lived in Canada, but it is a distinction from living and producing this track in Somalia.
If you want to say that Coke remixed the song, even if that's true, is still a lot different then saying Coke made the song. Contrast that with the song, "We've only just begun" that was written for a bank commercial.
The problem with AIDS in Africa isn't the foreskin, it's condom rejection in a promiscuous culture.
@TheEarthAbides Thank you for the documentary title much appreciated, great post!
11:50 And cutting the whole thing off reduces it by a 100!
....
eugenics
monsanto
coca cola
To sum up this video in my views-It did not change them at all.
I love how circumcision is only looked as a health benefit and not an enforced religious decree; there's a reason why you see CocaCola in settlements trying to get clean water; because Coke owns the right to their resources
This was important... she was explaining a way to push education (for instance) in, let's say, poor cultures? That way, we can "sell" and spread education. That way, we can make a better world.
I wonder where she outsourced her speech/presentation.
@geragna
You have yet to point out what is wrong with my arguments (except by merely stating they are wrong).
Wikipedia has actually been rated as a very good source of information compared to most encyclopedias.
I don't believe that corporations cannot be unjust. I disagree that corporations are unjust by fact of being corporations. Google is a corporation and has been a proponent of free speech by leaving China. Microsoft is a corporation and funded the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
@Lazerguy5 He lived in Somalia until he was 13, that in your mind makes him strictly Somalian at the age of 32. It's not petty to call him Somali-Canadian, or Somali-American, or where he spent over half of his life, it establishes that he lives, works and spent the better part of his life in a country that is nothing like Somalia. This impacts the audiences perception. THAT is my point.
If studies show that stitching a woman's labia closed lowered HIV rates would you be for that too?
@JohnGuitarSolo Thank you for posting your username at the bottom of you comment. Otherwise i would not have known that it was infact you that posted the comment.
I applaud you.
@Shalek I wouldn't be surprised if it's the circumcision comment alone. It certainly laid an egg with the audience there.
@GeofsFilms i know what you mean, yes, Coke does look better in this TED talk, but i dont think that's her intention, she's saying Coke's marketing is good, their logistics are good and they operate efficiently, and all she's saying is that you can transfer those skills to non profits. The whole point for the talk IS about learning from Coke, so yes, you do have to mention them. I see your comment below about Coke's exploitation, but I would like to see more informed, credible sources.
Coca Cola is good at marketing - but I bet they couldnt get one of the richest people in the world to talk at one of the most informative and respected platforms in the world without paying a single cent.
Oh wait ...
Coca-Cola has great marketing, but in my country they once made an add with talking sardines (it's a fish), because it is one of our tradicional dishes, and it backfired because nobody eats sardines with coke (we prefer it with meat, pizza or fast-food).
Still, to me, the main reason a bottle of Coka-Cola gets everywhere is because the company WANTS it. In case of vaccines (or other), goverments and institutions DON'T.
They get paid the same just by saying they do... we have no way to confirm.
could everyone please get over the title and actually comment on the video
Some really good advice in here and credit to Melinda Gates for the work she's trying to do. Gates Foundation needs to partner with colalife DOT org who are already trying this stuff.
@GrudgyDiablo
Apparently, you didn't read the comment in which he said: "Condom use is most important, above everything else."
As fair as I know, he is not talking about the circumcission of babies. He means the kind that the video mentions: men volunteering to have circumcssion to reduce HIV-risk.
I agree that condom use is most important and that child circumcission is wrong. But in highly infected areas voluntary adult circumcission is a good spportive action in reducing infection rates.
essentially i see the point as. it would be nice if talented marketing firms used their talents for more ngos that stood for equality and a dignfied life...
PPP? If you don't make a profit, it won't be efficient. As much as I hate that theory, it's pretty damn true in a lot of situations as bad as it is...
@rm06c The 80% that you are referring to do not fall under my afore mentioned classification of the Coca Cola company. These people that are "simply interested in feeding and providing for their family," are of a separate classification. Their primary goal, as you stated, is to provide for their family.
I am not at all 'anti-globalization", as you have put it. I am against the idea that injustice and greed will lead to happiness and wellbeing. This should not become a model for our future.
Avoidance VS aspirations: "Positive emotion trumps negative emotion every time."
@Silkspine
I do agree with the criticism on the circumcision promotion. There's no clear evidence about its effectiveness and using a condom is guaranteed more effective than circumcision.
But even still, the bulk of her talk was very good and demonstrates a great method of using the power of business and marketing to achieve real important objectives like the millennium goals.
You are sooooo right
Please... take your rant elsewhere. She used Coca Cola as an example because of how ubiquitous they are. No other brand has done what Coke has done as far as promotion goes.
Coke: Pushing poison through remote regions of the world for profit. How inspiring! *sarc
Coke has tons and tons of money to invest in data, data analysis and marketing. What are your suggestions for how non-profits can match that?
Melinda is a true hero in my estimation. Most of the negative comments here I suspect have roots in jealousy because she is rich. Compare her to the likes of the Kardashians and Hiltons. She could spend her days sipping Belinis on a yacht, but she choses to visit places of unbearable poverty to develop real world solutions to horrible problems. She wants to use effective tools to reduce unescessary death and suffering, what idiot argues with that.
I knew right from the first mention of mothers that she would say something really trite, and I wasn't disapointed. Of course they want the same things for their kids, we're all biologically conditioned to. Omg, they're human, just like us!
She has her own agenda, right along with her hubby!
@cbigpicture: She makes an important observation on Evaluation. Non-Profits and gov'ts carry project audits after expenditures...closing the barn after the horse bolted!
The Gates don't have to help save the world.
But I'm glad they do.
It's hard to be happy about or take as a good example people peddling soda to poor people. It's unhealthy here. It's unhealthy there.
The only thing I learned from Coca-Cola is that it's an excellent way to get a constipated rectum.
Amazing work and progress on these problems.
@PepperBabe : That's actually a really good idea, and would do Coke's public image a world of good.
The Gates are for the Georgia Guide Stones especially the first guide line.
Gates is HITLER
Ever heard of Demographic Winter Part I&II Documentary?
cant look at everything so pessimistically. the most humanly thing to do is to learn. we learn from everyone, even those enemies and poeple that we don't like, such as coke. everyone should learn from each others successes
They can learn to monopolize the distribution channel and extort the retailers if they want to sell products from the competition?
It's easy to be provocative, right?
3:54 "bowling in the dark ... real-time data turns on the lights!" - really? That was the best methaphor for the real-time response in sales?
Well look at what we have now? Covid19 really would have lesser impact and governments & ngos had more time to prepare if information was on time. Right?
'Waving flag' was also successful because it was a song for the world cup...
Cute shot with the camel, but 1:15 shows a crate with the name of Coca Cola in Hebrew. That's not the developing world.
This seems like a lot of other Ted Talks...Ted please come back with original worth while ideas.
ted posts are getting more purile by the minute
The book that written by William Easterly in 2006 has already provide answer for Melinda Gates's question.
Although this content belongs now in the "Way Back Machine" there were some interesting facts and cool footage here.
@licriss great! no problem. hope you manage to check it out. do good ;)
@rm06c : YES! Make condoms taste like Coke! We've cracked it! (the problem... not the condom!) ;o)
Yes she said Namibia ,#salute
Yes if they can why can't you there is no end to the greed.
People are dying of starvation by the 1000s everyday, way more than die of polio. The polio kids will still be there. People are dying now of starvation and gates gives them poisoned monsanto food which is insulting. And not even food most of the time, most goes to GM FOOD RESEARCH. The only reason he does it is to gift is corporate Monsanto friends with the donations. He really doesnt give a crap about suffering of people that seems quite obvious to me
"successful" - does that mean working for a foundation that promotes artificial contraception which is in direct opposition to the Catholic faith you practice? what does it profit...
Why the heck would anyone circumcise himself, it's completely illogical. No benefits at all, many negatives.
Soda is addictive.
Condoms are not.
@rm06c There are so many problems with your arguement here.
Firstly, I am surprised that you would refer me to Wikipedia as a reliable source of information. The idea that Mrs. Gates was once a model could have been information that I obtained through Wikipedia, for all you know; though I do thank you for correcting my error of ignorance.
Why do you belive that corporations cannot be unjust? The very art of being unjust is to provide or to gain for yourself at the expense of or with a...
Her eyebrows give me a headache.
I know!!! Like just relax them.
@rm06c ...that is why a large number of American companies outsource to other countries. They have lower standards and they can pay these people far less than they would have to pay an American citizen.
The definition of greed is very simple (you can google this for christ sake), it is the wanting or desire to have more than is necessary ,e.g., wealth, power. Clothes and food are absolutely necessary. Making $500,000 and up without contributing to the rest of humanity....
Not that anyone can physically stop them but people in poverty should not have children. Anyone encouraging them to do so are irresponsible and enemies of humanity.
Totally agree! If you have a baby you can't take care of then just die! I don't care!