Bill Gates Unleashes Swarm of Mosquitoes on Crowd

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,488348,00.html

Bill Gates Unleashes Swarm of Mosquitoes on Crowd
Thursday, February 05, 2009

Microsoft founder turned philanthropist Bill Gates released a glass full of mosquitoes at an elite technology conference to make a point about the deadly disease malaria.

"Malaria is spread by mosquitoes," Gates said while opening a jar onstage at the Technology, Entertainment, Design Conference ? a gathering known to attract technology kings, politicians, and Hollywood stars.

"I brought some. Here I'll let them roam around. There is no reason only poor people should be infected."

First reported on social networking site Twitter, Facebook's Senior Platform Manager Dave Morin blogged, "Bill Gates just released mosquitos into the audience at TED."

Gates then waited a minute or so before assuring the audience the freed insects were malaria-free.

The unusual presentation on malaria prevention was confirmed by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's media office. A spokesman said the insects released were not carrying malaria.

Gates retired as head of Microsoft last year to focus more on his foundation. One of its key projects is ending malaria and it has spent millions on fighting the disease.

The philanthropist has been pushing to reduce malaria deaths through the nonprofit. In September, Gates announced that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation would provide $168.7 million to the PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative to help develop a vaccine for the deadly disease.

 

[sharon sanders]

Re: Bill Gates Unleashes Swarm of Mosquitoes on Crowd

"..Bill Gates released a glass full of mosquitoes.."

Not a good idea. And that is the nicest thing I can say.

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Bill Gates Unleashes Swarm of Mosquitoes on Crowd

Hope the insects were screened for West Nile and other viruses.

 

[cartski]

Re: Bill Gates Unleashes Swarm of Mosquitoes on Crowd

Depending on the target audience, and the cautious screening of the bugs, it was a great idea, IMO.

Yes it was dangerous - mass panic and all that. And in Winnipeg or the Prairies where mosquitos are as numerous as snowflakes, even sequesterd IT professionals are aware of their nuisance and danger.

But to the TED audience, or to any other audience that may be apathetic, or simple inexperienced about the world, finding a novel and dramatic method for presentation makes a world of difference. The Greenpeace boat-whale photo; Gore and Inconvenient Truth; Diana holding hands with an AIDS patient; even dye based or viral based education labs where interns coat their hands and walk around touching things, etc.

"Shocking people out of their doubting stance" may be what social marketing has come to given its limited success using traditional marketing methods.

So, who dares to make a bird flu presentation with two chickens sharing the podium - one healthy and one sick?

J.

 

[tropical]

Re: Bill Gates Unleashes Swarm of Mosquitoes on Crowd

But to the TED audience, or to any other audience that may be apathetic, or simple inexperienced about the world, finding a novel and dramatic method for presentation makes a world of difference. ...
"Shocking people out of their doubting stance" may be what social marketing has come to given its limited success using traditional marketing methods.
...
So, who dares to make a bird flu presentation with two chickens sharing the podium - one healthy and one sick?

J.

Bill Gates.



This episode demonstrated how distant are the whealthy from the rural
(not realy, in fact there were only gen. mod. mosquitos - they can't bite )

I think that now B.G. conferences would be pretty vacant of spectators,
just in case ...

With pandemics his statement can have an revival:
"I brought some. Here I'll let them roam around. There is no reason only poor people should be infected."

 

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: Bill Gates Unleashes Swarm of Mosquitoes on Crowd

....to any other audience that may be apathetic, or simple inexperienced about the world, finding a novel and dramatic method for presentation makes a world of difference.

I agree. People who live without the 24/7 threat of mosquitos cannot appreciate the issues.

Walking for any distance in another person's moccasins is a valuable experience.

.

 

[Farmer]

Re: Bill Gates Unleashes Swarm of Mosquitoes on Crowd

I don't know about education or shock value. It seems like assault to me.

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Bill Gates Unleashes Swarm of Mosquitoes on Crowd

I think it was inappropriate to release mosquitos. But he did get press. Unfortuately, it is more about him than the need for more funding to provide folks in malaria stricken countries with nets and funding to clean up their environments.

 

[tropical]

Re: Bill Gates Unleashes Swarm of Mosquitoes on Crowd

#7: "... don't know about ... shock value"
#4: ""Shocking people out of their doubting stance" may be what social marketing has come to given its limited success using traditional marketing methods."

21 century "shock economy"

 

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: Bill Gates Unleashes Swarm of Mosquitoes on Crowd

Perhaps another example of creatively communicating a health message:

Computer screen 'tan' tricks thousands

.