That's according to Noelene Kotschan from Sho-Sho-Lo-Za Marketing, the events agency awarded the contract for the Cancer Association of South Africa's (CANSA) biggest cancer awareness drive.
This year technology is playing a key role in managing the campaign because the event is so much bigger than last year.
"We are using viral marketing, including an SMS campaign," she says. "To encourage a competitive spirit and to get people excited we are building up to the national two-day event by operating satellite shavathons at various events including Argus Cycle Tour and Two Oceans Marathons which will be televised on SuperSport. The actual CANSA Shavathon will take place on 3 December."
The technology to co-ordinate this event, which includes a Sun Server, a computer network and call centre is being sponsored by various technology companies.
"We are delighted that Sun is providing us with a server as we can't afford to have our system crashing or our data lost. We will be running the campaign over the next few months and will have at least 150 sites in operation on 3 December 2005. Information is essential if we want to communicate to everyone and report our campaign successes accurately."
"Last year the South African shavathon achieved the Guinness Book of Records world record for the most shaved heads or colour-sprayed hair in 24 hours - 25 000 heads were shaved or colour-sprayed while a grand total of R4.8 million was raised as a result of this event. This year we aim to improve on this. Our target is R10 million."
"Sun Microsystems South Africa sees corporate social responsibility as a strategic business imperative, aimed at maximising impact, benefits and sustainability - for beneficiaries, communities and businesses. Other projects that Sun Microsystems is involved in (refer to www.sun.com/rsa), including the Shavathon, is our business response to economic and social consideration of SA," says Michelle Smith, Corporate Responsibility Co-ordinator for Sun Microsystems Sub-Sahara Africa.
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Since its inception in 1982, a singular vision - "The Network Is The Computer" - has propelled Sun Microsystems, Inc (Nasdaq: SUNW) to its position as a leading provider of industrial-strength hardware, software and services that make the Net work. Sun can be found in more than 100 countries and on the World Wide Web at www.sun.com.
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