Cancer is Catalyst for Innovative Social Media Platform Focused on Human Connection

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- Evergram introduces its web and mobile-based future-messaging technology platform, www.evergram.com; designed to foster and share meaningful social communications and enhance one's personal connections in the real world. Evergram's application enables theparticipants or guests of a life event to easily create personal audio, video or text messages. These keepsake messages are automatically collected into an evocative online album, an Evergram, and stored securely on the cloud. Evergrams are then delivered on a specified future date or on the occurrence of a future event, such as a wedding, retirement, graduation, or birthday. [1]

Evergram's greatest potential may lie in its ability to harness collective emotion and interest around humanity's most significant moments. In light of the horrific events that transpired at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Evergram has become the medium of choice for thousands of Americans and viewers around the globe, to support and send personal messages of love to the families and community of Newtown. On December 31st, 2012, these messages will be delivered in an Evergram album and unveiled to the Newtown community, providing some additional comfort to the families for many years to come. (View the Evergram for the Sandy Hook families here).

Evergram was first conceived, however, when the Company's CEO and Co-Founder, Duncan Seay, was diagnosed with Cancer in December 2010. As a result, his business partner and co-founder, Jeff Caden, approached Seay with an idea that would allow him to send wisdom messages to his loved ones for delivery in the event of his death. The idea quickly morphed into a solution firmly embedded around life's important occasions and deeper human connections; a solution the founders believe will profoundly change the way our society uses social media, and social video, in particular.

"When we first learned that the disruption of time fostered the creation of meaningful messaging, we became very excited," says Caden. When video, text or audio messages are sent for future delivery, whether hours, days or even years later, the degree of thoughtfulness and connection typically increases. This is a phenomenon often experienced in letter writing, and one that the Evergram team has integrated into its entire user interface. Evergram further believes that technology has the ability to strengthen human relationships, and not to replace them; an increasing concern studied by MIT's Science and Technology Professor, Sherry Turkle, who notes "We expect more from technology and less from each other."