i-ACT Selects Widen DAM to Manage Image and Video Library

MADISON, Wis. - July 8, 2014 - PRLog -- i-ACT, a non-profit organization focused on empowering those affected by mass atrocities in the Darfuri refugee camps in Eastern Chad, has selected the Widen Media Collective for its digital asset management (DAM) needs. A grassroots organization combining innovative technology and personal connections to help victims of mass atrocities and crimes against humanity, i-ACT will use Widen DAM to allow the public to quickly and easily search their large library of digital assets for continued education and exposure of the Darfuri people.

i-ACT has hundreds of hours of video footage and thousands of digital images documenting the atrocities committed against the people of Darfur. Unfortunately the files were stored on random hard drives, had no tagging, and were only available to be searched by internal staff members. It became increasingly difficult for staff to locate and use the necessary files.

"Our library is only searchable by our team and is based off memory," stated Katie-Jay Scott-Stauring, director of operations and community involvement for i-ACT. "We want our assets to be accessible to the public, where they can search and download what they want by themselves."

The organization realized they needed a system to help them manage their assets when they received a large number of media requests based on an upcoming trip for the Darfuri soccer team that i-ACT organizes. Gabriel Stauring, the executive director of i-ACT, decided it was time to implement a solution, one that could act as an organized archive for the team, and one that would enable them to better utilize their global volunteer network.

i-ACT chose the Widen Media Collective for its ability to easily and seamlessly organize both images and video assets. They also wanted the public to be able to use the system, so the Widen Media Collectives ease of use allows anyone to search and download without training.

"Like most non-profits, we have too much on our plates for the capacity that we have," stated Scott-Stauring. "Widen's advisors made the process extremely easy and efficient. They were extremely available and their answers were always very descriptive, thoughtful and clear."

The DAM system will be used to allow i-ACT's staff, general public, and media outlets to be able to easily search, download, and use any of their digital image and video assets under a creative commons license. The activist community will also be heavy users of the system, downloading edited videos for education and awareness events. i-ACT also plans on using Widen's stylized collections feature to create small collections of related assets including pdfs, images and videos in a public gallery.

"Being able to offer small non-profits the same capabilities that enterprise organizations enjoy at a fraction of the cost is satisfying for us," stated Chris Rewey, Widen sales manager. "Non-profit organizations have just as much need to organize and promote their mission."

About i-ACT
i-ACT empowers individuals within communities, institutions, and governments to take personal responsibility to act on behalf of those affected by genocide, mass atrocities, and crimes against humanity. i-ACT is a global team dedicated to putting a face on the numbers of dead, dying, and displaced while creating mutually enriching relationships between those in danger and those willing and able to act, fostering a new culture of participation. http://www.iactivism.org

About Widen Enterprises, Inc.
Widen is a marketing technology company that powers the content that builds your brand. Leveraging cloud-based resources, Widen delivers configurable, scalable, and cost-effective digital asset management solutions to help you easily store, search and share your digital content. Organizations of all sizes use Widen's SaaS DAM solution, the Media Collective, to streamline their marketing and creative workflows and make their content work harder. Widen is trusted by hundreds of thousands of users around the world at organizations like LG, Roche, Trek, Cornell University, New Orleans Tourism Marketing, The Atlanta Falcons, Red Gold Tomatoes, Electrolux, and Yankee Candle. To learn more about Widen, go to http://www.widen.com.