Yoxi picks a social issue and teams submit videos for their ideas. An online audience then gets to vote for their favorites in a manner similar to voting systems on reality shows like American Idol. However, instead of creating the next Kelly Clarkson, Yoxi hopes to create some real change. Rather than just a crowdsourced free-for-all, the teams will receive guidance from famous judges and industry experts.
Once chosen by the audience to advance to the final round, two teams will receive marketing support from top advertising agencies. The winning team will receive a cash prize from $5,000 to $40,000.
Teams are currently facing off in the first competition called, "You Are What You Eat," challenging them to reinvent fast food. There are no limitations to the ideas, which can range from ad campaigns to technology, or even proposed school programs.
Yoxi has also added incentives for the audience to vote by introducing a social gaming aspect to the site. Users start at level one, with one vote and a limited amount of "energy," a way to pace participation. As they continue to participate, they rise in levels and receive more votes, influence, and "energy" to perform more actions on the site.
The ties to online video and reality shows shouldn't come as a surprise; founder Sharon Chang worked closely with the teams behind both American Idol and Hulu. She and her team have taken those two worlds and blended them into social good. "One of the reasons started this is because people don't do things," Chang says. "It's like pulling teeth to get people to want to take action."
Wary that people are constantly asked to vote or rate things like concerts or restaurants, Chang wanted to make those votes special again. "You only have one vote," she says. "And it's very important. You have one, you have to choose." It's also a smart move; projects will need to recruit a wide base of fans rather than relying on spamming the site or trying to game the system.
Chang also says that while video quality will obviously be considered, projects are considered based on their merit and the strength of their ideas. The judges and experts can help guide the voting public to see these values over a poor idea with great production values or editing.
Yoxi's larger goal is to bring social good into mainstream conversation. It's a refreshing shift away from page views and ad pages. "This isn't about driving traffic, about creating a destination site," Chang says. "We want it to be a movement, and a movement has followers, not 'traffic.'"