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| Turkish trio who took out New York Times ad: 'It's really not about us' | Turkish trio who took out New York Times ad: 'It's really not about us' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| As anti-government protests in Turkey enter their ninth day, Turks continue to stream into public spaces in their thousands. But for Turks abroad who want to get involved, the route to participation is less clear. | As anti-government protests in Turkey enter their ninth day, Turks continue to stream into public spaces in their thousands. But for Turks abroad who want to get involved, the route to participation is less clear. |
| Enter Oltac Unsal, Murat Aktihanoglu and Duygu Atacan, three US-based Turks who launched an Indiegogo crowd-funding campaign to raise money for a full-page ad in the New York Times in support of their fellow citizens. | |
| "We were frustrated," Unsal said of his fellow campaign leaders. "Murat and I were traveling back from South Africa and were disconnected from the world for 18 hours. We got back to New York and immediately realized what was going on in Turkey – we got so riled up with wanting to do something." | "We were frustrated," Unsal said of his fellow campaign leaders. "Murat and I were traveling back from South Africa and were disconnected from the world for 18 hours. We got back to New York and immediately realized what was going on in Turkey – we got so riled up with wanting to do something." |
| What is the best platform to raise money for taking a full-page ad in Washington Post from the Turkish people? | What is the best platform to raise money for taking a full-page ad in Washington Post from the Turkish people? |
| — Murat Aktihanoglu (@muratny) June 2, 2013 | — Murat Aktihanoglu (@muratny) June 2, 2013 |
| The group posted on Twitter, asking followers for advice about the best online crowd-funding platform. Within 20 minutes of receiving an answer, they'd set up the campaign on Indiegogo and promoted it on social media, with donations coming in almost immediately. Within 18 hours, the campaign had surpassed its fundraising goal of $53,800, becoming the second-fastest political campaign to reach its goal in Indiegogo's history. | |
| Donations have come in from at least 50 countries, across six continents with an average contribution rate of $39 per donor. Within the first 21 hours, the campaign was taking in $2,561 an hour. | Donations have come in from at least 50 countries, across six continents with an average contribution rate of $39 per donor. Within the first 21 hours, the campaign was taking in $2,561 an hour. |
| The success of this campaign could be considered surprising given the leaders style themselves "accidental activists", and prior to this, had not had any experience with fundraising or political activism of this level. | The success of this campaign could be considered surprising given the leaders style themselves "accidental activists", and prior to this, had not had any experience with fundraising or political activism of this level. |
| "I've been apolitical all my life," said Atacan, at 26 the youngest of the three. "But it was too difficult to see what was happening in Turkey and not be able to do anything." | "I've been apolitical all my life," said Atacan, at 26 the youngest of the three. "But it was too difficult to see what was happening in Turkey and not be able to do anything." |
| The three campaign leaders express similar disillusionments and frustrations with Erdogan's government as the protesters on the ground. They describe the AKP leader's slowly emerging autocratic dominance as the focal point of collective distress. | The three campaign leaders express similar disillusionments and frustrations with Erdogan's government as the protesters on the ground. They describe the AKP leader's slowly emerging autocratic dominance as the focal point of collective distress. |
| "I come from a secular, liberal tradition," said Aktihanoglu, "but I said 'Let me give this government a chance,' especially since I think some of what they have done has been good, particularly in the economy. But it – and he – gradually became more and more extreme." | "I come from a secular, liberal tradition," said Aktihanoglu, "but I said 'Let me give this government a chance,' especially since I think some of what they have done has been good, particularly in the economy. But it – and he – gradually became more and more extreme." |
| "The Turkish people have just been pushed too far," Aktihanoglu said, "and we have shut up for too long." | "The Turkish people have just been pushed too far," Aktihanoglu said, "and we have shut up for too long." |
| The trio have known each other for several years through their work in the tech sector. Atacan, originally from Ankara, is a user interface and experience expert, contributing to Aktihanoglu and Unsal's tech startup, Entrepreneurs Roundtable. Unsal is also an angel investor who consults for the World Bank. | The trio have known each other for several years through their work in the tech sector. Atacan, originally from Ankara, is a user interface and experience expert, contributing to Aktihanoglu and Unsal's tech startup, Entrepreneurs Roundtable. Unsal is also an angel investor who consults for the World Bank. |
| The goal of the campaign, the trio said, was to get the world to pay attention. "The key was to move now and ask questions later," Unsal said. "We just wanted the world to talk," said Aktihanoglu. | The goal of the campaign, the trio said, was to get the world to pay attention. "The key was to move now and ask questions later," Unsal said. "We just wanted the world to talk," said Aktihanoglu. |
| The idea was to generate engagement as well as money. "We had the idea, but anyone could have done this," said Atacan. "So we wanted everyone to get involved, it's not really about us." | The idea was to generate engagement as well as money. "We had the idea, but anyone could have done this," said Atacan. "So we wanted everyone to get involved, it's not really about us." |
| They sought contributors and commenters' help with everything from drafting the text to choosing where to place the ad and even, to coming up with a catchier name for the campaign. | They sought contributors and commenters' help with everything from drafting the text to choosing where to place the ad and even, to coming up with a catchier name for the campaign. |
| "People really came together to help structure it. Shockingly, there wasn't even a single nasty word from the entire community." | "People really came together to help structure it. Shockingly, there wasn't even a single nasty word from the entire community." |
| The campaign's insistence on transparency even extended to using Google Docs to edit the text, showing real-time updates to those interested. On Tuesday, the trio asked donors to vote on six mock-ups of the future advert, with 4,080 responses flooding in. Second-round voting on the final two favourites took place Tuesday evening, this time with over 1,344 voters pushing their choice. | The campaign's insistence on transparency even extended to using Google Docs to edit the text, showing real-time updates to those interested. On Tuesday, the trio asked donors to vote on six mock-ups of the future advert, with 4,080 responses flooding in. Second-round voting on the final two favourites took place Tuesday evening, this time with over 1,344 voters pushing their choice. |
| The group eventually settled on the New York Times over the Washington Post because the former promised a front-section placement for the ad by the end of the week. The group plans to disseminate the ad on social media, to generate "more action and dialogue" of the issues at hand. | The group eventually settled on the New York Times over the Washington Post because the former promised a front-section placement for the ad by the end of the week. The group plans to disseminate the ad on social media, to generate "more action and dialogue" of the issues at hand. |
| Three days in, and the campaign stands at over $93,000. The trio, continuing in their vein of grassroots collectivism, have asked supporters to suggest on Reddit ways to use the leftover money. | Three days in, and the campaign stands at over $93,000. The trio, continuing in their vein of grassroots collectivism, have asked supporters to suggest on Reddit ways to use the leftover money. |
| "People have suggested continuing the PR campaign or sending gas masks to the protestors," said Aktihanoglu. "We're open to any suggestions." | "People have suggested continuing the PR campaign or sending gas masks to the protestors," said Aktihanoglu. "We're open to any suggestions." |
| "If I could say one thing directly to [Erdogan]: don't be arrogant," said Unsal. | "If I could say one thing directly to [Erdogan]: don't be arrogant," said Unsal. |
| "Listen to the people," interjected Aktihanoglu. | "Listen to the people," interjected Aktihanoglu. |
| "And don't exclude any of us," added Atacan. "Unite us." | "And don't exclude any of us," added Atacan. "Unite us." |
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