PressEthic

The saga of Lonelygirl15 takes another interesting twist, as the U.N. enlists Lonelygirl herself and other Web video makers in their latest anti-poverty campaign. The Wall Street Journal reports today that Jessica Lee Rose, the actress who played "Bree" in the popular Web series, will "reprise the role that made her famous, sitting in a bedroom by herself, talking into a camera. But this time, rather than talking about a boy, 'Bree' makes a plea for the antipoverty cause."

As the potential for digital media explodes, non-profit groups are jumping on the bandwagon, hoping to harness the momentum and appeal to the highly desirable younger demographic.

The online ad push shows how public-service advertising is catching up to mainstream marketing in its embrace of viral marketing and user-generated content. In the past year or so, as amateur Web videos have spread on the Internet, an increasing number of advertisers have tapped the public to help produce their ads.

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"Bree's" plea to end poverty is featured on YouTube, the very site that launched her to stardom with her now-infamous web journals.

"There is definitely a shift in the way people receive their information," says Mandy Kibel, deputy director and head of communications for the U.N. Millennium Campaign, which is orchestrating the antipoverty event. "The online environment can't be ignored, especially when it comes to the younger demographic."

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