# Alexa radio ads to let people donate direct to charity

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2020/10/06/alexa-radio-ads-let-people-donate-direct-charity/
- Published: 2020-10-06T09:36:40+01:00
- Author: Melanie May

**Voice technology company, Say It Now, has teamed up with digital advertising exchange
DAX to enable people to respond to radio ads on their Alexa-enabled smart speaker
and use voice commands to donate directly to their chosen charity.**

NSPCC, [RNIB](https://www.rnib.org.uk/), Crisis, Macmillan Cancer Support and Global’s
Make Some Noise are the first to benefit, with each planning separate advertising
campaigns.

[Say It Now](https://www.sayitnow.ai/) uses Natural Language Processing (NLP) to
develop technology that lets computers talk to people in the same way that people
have conversations with each other, with a specific focus on voice transactions.
It secured funding from [Innovate UK](https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/innovat)
to create the donation channel for not-for-profit organisations.

## Advertisement

Targeted audio ads will run specifically on devices that support a voice-assistant,
with listeners given the option of finding out more about the individual charity
or donating straight away with a simple verbal instruction, providing the voice 
assistant is directly linked to a payment service, with the connected nature of 
the devices enabling the direct effect of ad spend on user engagement to be measured.

 
Charlie Cadbury, CEO and co-founder of Say It Now, commented:

> “The pandemic has accelerated existing trends, paving the way for voice technology
> which is versatile, contactless and increasingly part of daily life.  The Innovate
> UK funding enables us to use our voice experience and work alongside our media
> partner DAX to develop ‘tech for good’ as charities look for new ways to generate
> income in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.  The aim is to demonstrate that ‘
> voice giving’ is a viable donation channel both now and for the future.”

Alex McDowell, Head of Public Fundraising at the RNIB, said:

> “RNIB are always looking at new ways we can inspire support and make it easier
> for people to contribute to our vision and we are delighted to involved in this
> innovative programme. Not only does it provide a frictionless way for people to
> support RNIB’s work, it also has wider benefits to blind and partially sighted
> people, who will experience this service in exactly the same way as all Alexa 
> users.”