complete press contact list for creative commons

[Melissa Reeder <melissa AT creativecommons.org>]

Text below; PDF attached

 

Attachment: Creative Commons Revver Release final.pdf
Description: Adobe PDF document

                         

 

Press Release 

 

Creative Commons Taps Revver to Launch New 

Viral Video Fundraising Model 

 

Nonprofit Organization Uses Online Video Sharing to Raise Money 

 

San Francisco, CA and Los Angeles, CA – 11-1-2006 - Today, Creative Commons 

announced that it will be the first non-profit organization to raise money through online 

video sharing. Revver (http://www.revver.com), the first marketplace for viral videos, 

will host, track and monetize Creative Commons’ videos as they are viewed across the 

Internet during the organization’s 2006 fundraising campaign, which began this month 

and lasts until December 31, 2006. In support of Creative Commons, Revver will donate 

its share of the advertising revenue generated to the organization.  

 

Beginning today, Creative Commons will use Revver to monetize several of its popular 

online videos as part of its second annual fundraising campaign. Generally, once Revver 

matches a video with an ad, it tracks the video as it is viewed across the Internet and 

shares the advertising revenue generated with the creator and the syndicator who 

distributes the video. However, throughout Creative Commons’ 2006 fundraising 

campaign, Revver will donate its share of the revenue to the organization. Revver 

currently uses Creative Commons’ free licenses to allow its users to share videos across 

the Internet while retaining their rights as copyright holders.  

 

“With Creative Commons’ licenses, we’ve created an unbeatable scenario for video 

creators. Revver allows them to use the Internet as a platform, not just for distribution but 

for remuneration too, all while ensuring they retain ownership of their work,” said Steven 

Starr, Founder and CEO of Revver, Inc. “Supporting Creative Commons is really a 

pleasure since we both care deeply about the same creative community.” 

 

Last year, Creative Commons raised more than $250,000 during its first campaign. This 

year, the viral videos, which illustrate the organization’s history and mission and explain 

how to use its licenses, will complement existing fundraising efforts, including direct 

donations to Creative Commons, purchases at the organization’s online store, and posting 

of the "Support CC 2006" button on third party websites. For more information on 

supporting Creative Commons, go to http://creativecommons.org/support.  

 

“This is a cool hack of the advertising model: Our supporters can support us by getting 

others to watch our videos,” said Lawrence Lessig, CEO and Chairman of Creative 

Commons. “Using CC’s licenses and Revver’s platform, people can help us raise money 

by freely and legally sharing creative work. We’re proud to be the first organization to 

collaborate with Revver in this way.”

 

The Creative Commons videos are also available without any advertising. However, 

because Revver can track videos as they are shared across the Internet, the organization is 

encouraging its supporters to support its fundraising efforts by spreading the 

“Revverized” versions. Creative Commons will further encourage sharing  by uploading 

the videos to multiple websites, including: the Creative Commons website, its MySpace 

page http://www.myspace.com/creativecommons  and Revver www.revver.com. 

 

About Revver 

Revver is the first online service that truly leverages the viral power of the Internet to 

create a marketplace for online videos. Revver matches individual videos with 

advertising, encourages video sharing and then uses its proprietary technology to track 

videos as they are viewed across the Internet. By rewarding users with a percentage of the 

advertising revenue generated, Revver creates a virtual marketplace for online video. 

Revver’s contextual advertising capabilities also connect advertisers to specific 

demographics with a unique collaborative learning algorithm, which maximizes ad 

performance.  For more information, visit www.revver.com.   

 

About Creative Commons 

Creative Commons is a not-for-profit organization, founded in 2001, that promotes the 

creative re-use of intellectual and artistic works—whether owned or in the public domain. 

Creative Commons licences provide a flexible range of protections and freedoms for 

authors, artists, and educators that build upon the "all rights reserved" concept of 

traditional copyright to offer a voluntary "some rights reserved" approach. It is sustained 

by the generous support of various organizations including the John D. and Catherine T. 

MacArthur Foundation, Omidyar Network, the Hewlett Foundation, and the Rockefeller 

Foundation as well as members of the public. For general information, visit 

http://creativecommons.org   

 

Contacts 

Betsy Damus 

Edelman for Revver 

Betsy.damus AT edelman.com 

323-202-1068 

 

Melissa Reeder 

Development Coordinator, Creative Commons 

melissa AT creativecommons.org 

415-946-3068 

 

Press Kit 

http://creativecommons.org/presskit