"Power of 2": Creative, Authentic Use of Celebrity for Cause

Jun 6, 2012 4:15 PM ET
Image courtesy of Power of 2

Network for Good Blog

By Allison McGuire

The “Power of 2” campaign is back with 2 new celebrities championing good causes in a contest all about catalyzing  social good. The “Power of 2” series is the brainchild of PUBLIC Inc. a Toronto-based cause marketing agency.  The campaign mixes the following ingredients to create a fun, buzz-worthy digital experience for fans of celebrities and causes alike

  • 2 Celebrities with authentic ties to their causes
  • A contest to see who can raise the most in donations for their cause
  • A bet with potentially embarrassing results for one celebrity
  • Lots of social media outreach
  • A flashy campaign website with effective social proof (Twitter feeds, donation tickers etc…)

While both charities win, via donations and cause awareness, one of the celebrities loses. The loser has to complete a dare of sorts, up to the other celebrity participant’s choosing.  That’s the creative catch to the campaign that gets people talking and donating.  Who wouldn’t want to see a celebrity making a fool of him or herself in public?

This round of the ‘Power of 2” campaign features *NSYNC’s Lance Bass and Entourage’s Emmanuelle Chriqui battling it out to raise money for their chosen charities—St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital and Colon Cancer Canada, respectively.

Why is this an authentic use of celebrity for cause? Read on, via CompaniesforGood.org