Piczo gagging for some Comic Relief

Comic Relief has teamed up with social networking site Piczo to get users more involved in Red Nose Day.

The campaign asks Piczo users to 'step up to the plate' to think up fundraising ideas and promote Red Nose Day via the social networking site.

Piczo, which enables teens to create their own websites, and Comic Relief have created a branded space for users to view the charity's videos and promotions and post photos and blogs about their fundraising efforts.

Piczo-ers are also pushed to the Comic Relief site via links to make donations and find out more about Red Nose Day, which takes place on 16 March.

Chris Seth, managing director of Piczo UK, told silicon.com the idea behind the partnership is for Piczo users to spread the word about the charity through their friends' networks and find out how to make the Comic Relief message more relevant to teens.

Seth said he expects thousands of Piczo's users to get involved with the charity through the branded space.

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Piczo users have been asked to send in their most creative ideas about how to promote Red Nose Day via email.

The winner will work with Comic Relief and get experience behind the scenes of the national fundraising campaign.

Seth said: "This is the first time we've created a branded space [with a charity] and we're working to engage our members in becoming ambassadors for the charity."

He added: "For most of our members the biggest prize is being recognised by their fellow members and Piczo itself."

Comic Relief has been tapping social networking sites more for this year's fundraising events, with Bebo giving its social site a Red Nose makeover on the day.

The charity is also in talks with the social networking likes of Flickr, Google Videos, MySpace and YouTube to buff up its web 2.0 plans for the next Red Nose Day in 2009.