Idea Submission

MIke Riddell

A Million and Me is about power to the people. Getting together to leverage business and government and to look after society ourselves.

Submitted by MikeRiddell.

A Million and Me is a crowd sourcing project. It starts as contest between the 10 authorities of Greater Manchester to find out who's happiest. 10 websites in 10 different authorities each setting out to become a portal for their own locales.

Run as a Social Enterprise where loyalty cards keep money people and happiness local. (Think Tesco Club card but for your home-town). The £10k would be used by Manchesters finest creatives to create a game that inspires people to join in. The game will morph into a system that runs parallel to the current political system that is corrupted by businesses and politicians alike. This system is run by us the people.

It's a gated community where we write the rules. Its a business for the community, owned by the community and business and government can keep their hands off it.

Becuase it will be so "right-on" in terms of corporate social responsibility, it will be attractive to lots of businesses and to government who will want to jump on the band wagon, not least because this people platform will save them fortunes in marketing costs, but because it's such a good gig to be associated with.

The rules of the game will be simple. Speak and connect with our people on one condition: you make them healthier, wealthier or happier. If you can't show that you can, then on yer bike.

It's a sort of polluter pays principle. If they are a business like, let's say Cadburys, that doesn't have any regard for how their selling technique adds to childhood obesity, then they can get lost and use the existing system which is at the normal cost (of marketing).

This alternative system is just like a massive e-bay. Very effective and very efficient. People love it because all these businesses and government agencies are dying to get onto the (iPhone like) platform to work together to deliver "mashed-up" rewards that delivers behavioural change for the good.

best thing is, that it works really well in poorer communities (80% of government cost is spent on 25% of the population) so that it becomes really, really right on for the big corps to come in and get themsevles aligned with its good casued-ness.

What i haven't worked out yet, is this possibly the industrial revolution 2.0, or the Co-operative 2.0 (both from Greater Manchester).

Time the Republic of Mancunia stood up with its in yer face attitude and said "If you lot - the politicians and the businessmen - can't narrow the gap between rich and poor, then we will. We know right from wrong."

One of you judges will know that this sentiment comes from a very deep musical bloodline that's been preached down the years by soulmen and rockers alike. Now if you're proud of where you come from, and if you know your roots and if you know your history, you should help sort things out.