Guilty Pledgers — Hyperlaunch

Hyperlaunch Powers Guilty Pledgers: A Charity Jukebox App

Overview

Hyperlaunch developed the Guilty Pledgers app, a unique Progressive Web App (PWA) designed to combine music and philanthropy in an engaging way. Built for Spotify and JustGiving, the app allows party hosts to create a shared playlist where guests can add their favourite ‘guilty pleasure’ songs by pledging donations to charity. The app seamlessly integrates the Spotify music catalogue with JustGiving’s donation platform, demonstrating a creative use of APIs to drive charitable giving in a fun and innovative context.

Screenshot of Guilty Pledgers onboarding

The Challenge

The primary challenge was to create an engaging platform that allowed real-time interaction and synchronisation among multiple users during a party. The app needed to facilitate immediate song requests through donations, requiring a seamless and frictionless experience for both the host and the guests. Given the diverse device ecosystem and user behaviours, the solution also had to be highly accessible, allowing pledges from any mobile device without requiring additional downloads or cumbersome authentication steps.

The Solution

Hyperlaunch developed the Guilty Pledgers app as a PWA using React and a custom bundler to deliver a single codebase across both web and Spotify’s app platform. This approach ensured a consistent user experience regardless of platform, while using web sockets to enable real-time synchronisation of playlists among guests.

The PWA framework allows the app to be installed directly from the browser, providing a native app-like experience with offline capabilities and push notifications to enhance user engagement. This makes it easier for users to interact with the app without needing to visit an app store, simplifying access and increasing participation.

To handle the donation mechanics, the app integrates directly with JustGiving’s API, simplifying the process for users to select from over 13,000 charities. The app keeps a tally of pledges during the event, sending out follow-up emails post-party to confirm donations. This method reduces friction at the moment of donation, allowing users to enjoy the party without interruption.

The app’s architecture supports seamless cross-platform functionality, allowing hosts to manage the playlist from Spotify’s desktop application while guests can pledge and interact via a PWA on their mobile devices. This design maximises user accessibility and engagement, ensuring that everyone can participate regardless of their device.

Screenshot of a Guilty Pledgers playlist

Technical Details

React and Custom Bundler: Enables a single codebase deployment across web and Spotify platforms.
Progressive Web App (PWA): Provides a native app-like experience with offline capabilities and push notifications.
Web Sockets: Facilitates real-time playlist synchronisation among party guests.
JustGiving API Integration: Provides access to over 13,000 charities, simplifying donation mechanics.
Cross-Platform Compatibility: Allows party hosts and guests to interact seamlessly from different devices.

Results

The Guilty Pledgers app launched with significant success, hosting numerous events across multiple agencies during its initial rollout. In its first few weeks, the app facilitated over £1,000 in donations through just seven parties. Its ability to combine fun with philanthropy has resonated with users, making it a standout example of innovative fundraising.

Jo Carter, Director of Fundraising and Communications at Nordoff Robbins, praised the app as “a great way for our supporters and people who love music as much as we do to use their music to raise money for a cause that’s close to their hearts.”

Chris Garrett, CEO of Hyperlaunch, remarked, “It was an exciting opportunity to merge the power of Spotify and JustGiving APIs to create an experience that both entertains and gives back. This project exemplifies the future of real-time technology on the web, where user engagement and social good intersect seamlessly. We are confident that the integration of innovative, real-time technologies will continue to drive forward dynamic user experiences in new and exciting ways.”

Conclusion

The Guilty Pledgers app showcases Hyperlaunch’s expertise in combining technology and creativity to deliver engaging, socially impactful solutions. By using PWA technology, real-time web socket integration, cross-platform compatibility, and seamless API integration, Hyperlaunch created an experience that is not only fun but also fosters charitable giving. This project underscores Hyperlaunch’s commitment to innovative solutions that drive meaningful engagement, and it sets a precedent for future apps that seek to combine entertainment with philanthropy. Brands and organisations looking to explore similar creative use cases are encouraged to collaborate with Hyperlaunch to push the boundaries of what’s possible in real-time digital experiences.