MasterCard, Aliens and A Cash-Free Future – Intern Recruiting Social Media Campaign

MasterCard is currently running a rather funny recruiting campaign targeted at finding the best interns from across the world to help the payments industry player promote a cashless future. Targeting millennials “with high hopes and big ideas for a cashless future” that also happen to be proficient in the use of social media.

The #internswanted campaign addresses college students enrolled full-time from accredited post-secondary institutions around the world and challenges them to compete for the company’s internships through social media. By around the world MasterCard actually means 6 countries – US, Canada, Turkey, China, Italy and Singapore.

To enter the competition, they have to submit an idea for a product, system, app or technique that would help people of the future go cashless. Applications are validated through social media with the #InternsWanted hashtag. Although the company does select its own interns, the more likes and retweets a participant gets, the better their chances of being selected. To apply,  Students must submit their cover letter, resume, and creative entries including photos, blog posts and videos on LinkedIn.

#internswanted will run until April 7, 2013 in Canda and  April 10 in the US, with all winners announced on April 15th. The dates  for the remaining 4 countries were not included in the official press release.

To better promote the campaign, a series of funny videos featuring aliens who deal with cash related issues of an imaginary future has also been launched.

And the PR agencies that work with Mastercard have included Weber Shandwick, Ketchum & APCO Worldwide.