Coca-Cola and the Japanese Red Cross have rolled out a vending machine that lets users donate money directly to the vending machine. Making use of the fact that Japan has the highest number of vending machines per capita in the world, with about one machine for every twenty- three people, the simple introduction of the “charity button” is aimed at making it easier for users to donate towards the rebuilding of areas hardest hit by the recent disasters in Japan.
Users are given the option of donating either ¥10 or ¥100, and as with a normal purchase the buttons light up when the money is inserted but instead of receiving a beverage when pressed, the machine emits a loud “Thank you very much for the donation”. The units themselves are branded with the iconic red cross and have some images of the work the Japan Red Cross are currently doing around the world and in Tohoku as part of ongoing relief efforts.
100% of the money collected through to September will go towards the relief efforts of the earthquake and the vending machines will remain in place to collect money for the Red Cross indefinitely.
Whilst this certainly makes it a lot easier for members of the public to donate using the ubiquitous machines, it may be even more effective if users actually receive something for their donations. Adding an incentive, for example a limited edition pin badge that donators can wear with pride displaying their generosity, may help to drive more people to part with their yen. Ultimately it would be great to see specific charity vending machines that rather than added on as a side function, raising funds could actually be the main feature of such machines, and are seen around town as much as the beverage vending equivalents.
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Darrell is a contributor at ShiftEast.com. 
I think that it is not good idea to have donation-specific machine, because the space that the machine is standing on cost a lot of money.
with regular machine that have donation function added, the drinks company already paying the cost of the machine and the space, so there is almost no additional cost. it also help them as it draws attention to the machine. so both sides of the deal earn something.
Also, I don’t see it as a Japanese way to go around with a badge that you did something. it is more an American thing. but what do I know…
A great idea and another way to help support Japan.
Japan Australia
I do agree to shmuel at some point, but to his point of not wearing pin badge i would say that its not matter of ego its matter of proud and people will get encouraged if someone is wearing it and will move ahead to donate money using this machines, because its human tendency to show something extraordinary!
It’s interesting, a bit mixed feelings about this idea in this case I think that it’s excellent, but if every vending machine had a strong charity focus it would irritate the hell out of me. A bit like people with collection boxes, one in a street is ok, one next to every store is very annoying.
Personally I think a good approach would be to be able to donate the change from purchases, in part because it would also mean that the machines had less chance of running out of change and in part because it makes the donation part of the transaction.
As an observation living in Europe I used to get stickers if I donated in the street, but I haven’t seen that at all now I live in Asia