Crowdfunding (CF) is a financial tool that has faced an impressive growth over the past few years, and provides an alternative form of fundraising entrepreneurial projects. However, not all CF campaigns are successful in attracting the investors’ interest and obtaining the pledging goal. As CF is built over internet platforms, digital marketing strategies have been used to improve awareness and engage people to contribute with small amounts of money for a given CF campaign. Hence, this paper intends to study the effect of social media and electronic word of mouth (e-WOM) on the CF campaigns’ outcomes and whether these digital marketing strategies might influence the small investors’ decision to support or not a reward-based CF campaign. Using a sample of data from the second largest American reward-based CF platform (Indiegogo), we have applied the multiple OLS regression analysis, to assess the causal effect of various sets of variables in the success rate of a CF campaign. The findings show that social media and e-WOM strategies play a critical role and have a positive significant impact on a CF campaign.

IntroductionThe care to the alcohol and/or other drugs’ user focuses on the logic of care for extended clinical and harm reduction, under the focus of the user and his family co-responsibility towards treatment.AimThis study aimed to understand the concept of self-care developed by drug users.MethodsIt is about a descriptive exploratory study with a qualitative approach. It was conducted in a center of psycho-social attention (CPSA), in Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil. The study participants were alcohol and/or other drugs users, over the age of 18 years, both sexes and were in treatment in the mentioned service in morning, afternoon and evening shifts. Data collection occurred in consultation records and individual interviews for the sample characterization, and three operating group sessions, one per shift, guided by the question: “what is self-care for you?” The interviews and sessions were audio-recorded, transcribed and submitted to analysis by ALCESTE software.ResultsIt was noted that self-care was conceptualized by the drug users from different points of view. For some, self-care is to self-protect, for others it means taking medications. The family, religion and CPSA were identified as a support network for the self-care maintenance. Furthermore, the self-care was related to the desire to recover losses.ConclusionThis study provided the understanding improvement of the self-care concept, supporting the care practice for the interventions planning, targeting the co-responsibility of the alcohol and/or other drugs users.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.