Celebrities for a Cause

There's a hot trend in the celebrity world of choosing a cause and joining an organization or starting their own organization to support this cause. Most are all familiar with the ONE Campaign, which has the support of many celebrities including U2's Bono, that aims to end hunger, poverty, and the AIDS epidemic in Africa and Lance Armstrong's LIVESTRONG Campaign that aims to raise money for cancer research.

Here is what works so well for these non-profits:

1. A Loyal fan-base.

Really, that's it! Loyal fans are willing to join in on almost any positive cause their favorite celebrity promotes.  In addition, these fans will happily buy any merchandise that support this cause, especially if the celebrity's name is on it or the item is endorsed by that celebrity because it becomes a trend.  Think "LIVESTRONG" bracelets: they were only $1, but how many people bought one to show their support for Lance Armstrong & cancer research? Most people wearing LIVESTRONG bracelets had no idea who Lance Armstrong was before these yellow bracelets became hot, and even more of them had never and still have never watched the Tour de France. But bracelet wearers knew this: their favorite celebrity was wearing one (Ashley Olsen, Jake Gyllenhaal, Sheryl Crow), they probable knew someone that has cancer or was affected by cancer, and it was cool.  It's easy to create brand awareness when the person endorsing the organization already had a fan base that is loyal to that person's individual brand. The moral of this story? Non-profits: Celebrities are your best friends.  Even if it's just a local celebrity, he or she has the power to successfully promote your cause.

Here are two efforts that may not be as well-known to the general public:

John Ondrasik, the lead singer of Five for FIGHTING, started a video website called "What Kind of World Do You Want."  It is "the first video community that gives back!" Websters can choose one of 5 organizations (Augie's Qust, Autism Speaks, Fisher House Foundation, Save the Children, Operation Homefront) and upload a self-made video to promote their chosen organization's cause.  The idea was inspired from Five for FIGHTING's video for "World" (unfortunately, I cannot post the video due to the artist's request to disable embedded videos). Websters can view these videos and donate money to the organization of choice. As of today, the website has raised $270,605.

Hanson (yes, the MMMBop boys) has also started their own organization called "Take the Walk." Their organization was inspired during a trip to Africa where the brothers experienced, first-hand, the problems being faced by Africans everyday. There are a few different components to Hanson's non-profit organization:

1. Music Download: Download Hanson's song The Great Divide from iTunes and part of the proceeds will go towards THe Perinatal HIV Research Unit (PHRU)

2. Shoes: Purchase a special "The Walk" pair of Tom's Shoes and a pair will be donated to a child in Africa.

3. Purchase a "Free the Children" T-shirt and part of the proceeds will be donated to building a school in Africa.

4. Take the Walk or host your own walk: Hanson hosts a 1 mile "Walk" around each city they perform in.  They request fans take off their shoes to experience walking a mile without shoes (such as a child in Africa). Hanson is also encourages fans to host their own walk in their town to help raise awareness. To date, 11, 589 miles have been walked. I "took the walk" with Hanson last year and I have to say it was one of the most fun and one of the most eye-opening things I have ever done. Check it out: