This is a paper submit to Planning idol for their 2011 competition.

1. Planning Idol 2011
One Laptop Per Child
Justin Thor Hoyer
jthoyer@gmail.com
@jthoyer
Total word count: 1416
Synopsis word count: 199
Planning idol 2011 - One Laptop Per Child Australian creative brief Justin Thor Hoyer jthoyer@gmail.com 1

2. SYNOPSIS
Create worthwhile methods for Australian’s to reiterate how important education is by
getting involved with the One Laptop Per Child cause.
As a young Australian male, living in an Urban Australia, I have the ability to discover, learn, develop and
progress in any way I choose. I take technology and connectivity for granted and I have a thirst for being
entertained, being educated and sharing.
If I have a question, I ‘Google it’. If I take a photo, I ‘Facebook it’. Entertainment, art, culture, history,
different points of view and a world outside my own are all within my grasp.
Australians have an opportunity to bridge a great divide, progressing their nation. Through the One Laptop
Per Child Australia (OLPCAU) cause, 400,000 Children in Regional & Community Australia (R&CA) can be
educated having a massive impact on Australia’s education and society at large.
What would be the real benefit to every Australian if R&CA’s received one laptop per child?
Progress. Through education.
We need to inspire Australians to believe that through education we can ‘make Australia better’. When all
Australians are culturally aware and engaged, individually as well as collectively. We can truly get progress
through education.
Planning idol 2011 - One Laptop Per Child Australian creative brief Justin Thor Hoyer jthoyer@gmail.com 2

3. Where are we now?
Australia’s education is sparse and it’s costing us progression, not to mention money.
Australia in general is a melting pot filled with different religions, races and ages and era’s. We all do things
for different reasons. We are told, taught or compelled. Depending on location and socio-economic status
we are educated using different methods, and to different levels. And depending on our level of connection
we may not get much further than the education our parents received, even though we are taught
generations apart.
We need a solution which is not about throwing money at the problem, but about solving the issue at the
heart of the educational problem where we can have the most benefit. Giving the Kids in Regional and
Community Australia an education.
Give them education. Watch them progress.
The art of giving.
What’s important to us, is based on our different social, rational and emotional needs. And while you can
categorise people together, we are largely different on what is the clinching factor for us to take a plunge on
anything new that will change our behaviour to a noticeable degree.
There are however chunks of the population who genuinely want to help.
But in order for a charity to become successful, it needs to be easy1, trendy 2, topical, catastrophic3 or
highly personal4 built by our life’s motivations. If we are asked too much or too often (charity fatigue), or in
the wrong way (stigma and chore), our low thresholds at which a ‘Charities ask’ becomes too much
regardless of their day to day need, our alternative expenditures of a new magazine, new outfit or night out
with friends wins out. We want to be good, but we will only be good for so long.
Australian’s have hit charity fatigue;
Over the past year and a half, Australian’s have faced a massive rise in the need of donations due to large,
hopefully once off tragedies; Tsunamis, Earthquakes, Nuclear power plant meltdowns etc.
With over 48,000 Income Tax Exempt Charities in Australia5. Each worthy and doing great work daily. Each
desperately wanting that ongoing donation of $2 or more.
Supporting just one charity is a size-able commitment and due to the charities need for increased funds,
you are likely to be inundated with mail asking you for more. At some point every Australian will say
‘enough’s enough’. I’m my charity.
Stigma. How people working for charities are the new Jehovah witness;
1
Red nose day
2
Movember, National Brest Cancer Foundation
3
2010–2011 Queensland floods & 2011 Christchurch earthquake
4
Pink Ribbon day
5
http://www.bus.qut.edu.au/research/cpns/documents/Current%20Issues%202006_4%20ITEC%202005.pdf
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4. When we see charity work we are reminded of what we are not doing. For some, we think of how lucky we
are. Others wonder why those in need aren’t helping themselves. After all, we all had to work hard to get
where we are.
We don’t want what they’re selling, no matter how glorified they think their cause is.
Chore of (avoiding) fundraising. If I don’t acknowledge you, you don’t exist;
How do you avoid people standing outside shopping centres with extended hands wanting to ‘have a chat’,
hoping to entice $25 per month from your ‘having fun with your friends’ allowance?
We need to break the mould for what is considered charity support and the methods of this support
Planning idol 2011 - One Laptop Per Child Australian creative brief Justin Thor Hoyer jthoyer@gmail.com 4

5. Where could we be?
Australia could be brilliant and motivated
A place where Australian’s were all educated alike;
Australian’s would make education the number one priority. As Australian’s would know the power, innate
need and flow-on effect of education for all.
A place where Australian’s support charity;
Governments could create schemes extending the benefits of supporting charities, making it worthwhile for
all Australian’s to do so. This will also take the strain off the government that is currently providing support
via aid.
Corporations build the supporting of charities into their business model.
Australian’s would support charities as a matter of national pride and receive immediate benefits making
the support immediately worthwhile.
Planning idol 2011 - One Laptop Per Child Australian creative brief Justin Thor Hoyer jthoyer@gmail.com 5

6. How do we get there?
Through shifts in education, supporting charities and government
If we could;
Inspire Australians to believe that through education we can ‘make Australia better’...
..we could create a snowball effect , creating massive change in this country that will make
Australia ‘a brighter place to live’.
Consider;
Phase 1 - Shift thoughts on education
Generate a conversation about education. What does education mean to you? What is possible with
education? What do you think about the education system in Australia?
These topics will gain momentum. The goal is to get the country talking about education, and then to
understand how they have the power to change current perception and methods for the better.
As the One Laptop per Child Australia cause aims to get 400,000 new brains. Developing, connecting,
discovering, untainted and problem solving with fresh eyes, we want Australian’s to recognise the effect
education has had on them, and realise the good it can be the R&CA’s.
Use broadcast mediums available including celebrities and influencers available through the OLPCAU
affiliations.
Phase 2 - Shift perceptions that supporting charities means succumbing to sacrifice
Australian’s currently perceive charity work to be about sacrifice. What if we could teach Australian’s how
to create benefits for the OLPCAU cause and themselves by doing the same things they always do. Their
banking.
Depositing pay into high interest bank accounts accrues monthly interest. This interest would be donated6
to the OLPCAU cause automatically through Commonwealth Bank affiliation, Australian’s could, through no
extra effort donate millions per year. And as the OLPCAU cause is a recognised charity and all donations
are tax deductible. By Australian’s donating money they never saw, they could lower their taxable income
and in essence, get a free lunch. We could extend this to create an incentive program whereby the more
you were involved or contributed, the higher your rate of interest could be.
We could also create discussions within the incentive programs to gather how else Australian’s could be
involved in the support of the OLPCAU cause.
6
Over the next three years, OLPCAU needs to raise $80million (@ $200p/latop - 400,000 laptops).
Planning idol 2011 - One Laptop Per Child Australian creative brief Justin Thor Hoyer jthoyer@gmail.com 6

7. Phase 3 - Create ambassadors
Australian’s passionate thoughts about the benefits of education will be used to create campaign
ambassadors. These Australian’s and the celebrities and influencers from Phase 1, will continue the
movement.
We want to get the community involved as much as we can, harnessing word of mouth promotions. By
creating a significant amount of noise, we aim for the government to make education Australian’s number
one priority.
Planning idol 2011 - One Laptop Per Child Australian creative brief Justin Thor Hoyer jthoyer@gmail.com 7

8. How will we know when we get there?
Impact
In R&CA; OLPCAU will measure the success of the program through a comprehensive evaluation on the
impacts of the XO laptops with the Australian Council for Education Research (ACER) in association with
The Commonwealth Bank of Australia.7
Rollout
1. XO laptop roll out - OLPCAU reaching their quota - we can track (real-time) as to the production
and roll-out of laptops as well as the development of programs in R&CA to develop these areas.
Tracking
2. Shift in thoughts on the benefits of education for all - The engagement of the conversation.
Evaluating PR value at local, national and international levels
3. Shift in perception of charitable support - new methods of donating and new governmental
schemes to make it easier and more worthwhile for Australian’s to contribute.
4. Commonwealth Bank OLPCAU accounts opened and how long they are held for
5. Click metrics via social sharing
7
(http://www.laptop.org.au/faq)
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