Christian Aid is set to broadcast an interactive TV advert that uses audiotagging technology to make it easy for viewers to donate to the charity through their mobile phones.
In what it claims is a world first, payments vendor Powa Technologies has teamed up with Christian Aid on the advert, which will hit UK TV screens this Friday ahead of the charity's annual fundraising drive.
To make a donation using the system, Brits will have to download the PowaTag app and enter their payments information. When the ad plays an inaudible signal is sent to the viewer’s smartphone which allows them to make a donation in seconds by activating the app, choosing the amount to give, and tapping to confirm.
Eleanor Ledesma, head, Christian Aid Week, says: "Christian Aid is very proud of its amazing volunteers who go door-to-door collecting money for some of the world poorest communities. But as the way we live our life changes, more people living in flats and working longer hours, it makes it more difficult to reach everyone in just one week.
"We may be marking our 70th anniversary this year but like all charities we need to move with the times and embrace new technologies in order to make it easier for people with busy lives to donate at a time convenient to them. PowaTag has great potential for the charity sector and we are delighted to be able to broadcast a world first with this innovative new advert."
Powa Technologies have pledged to match fund the first £10,000 donated to Christian Aid using the app and all of the operational costs for using the system will be re-donated.