Celebrity crowdfunding with a conscience

THE CLIENT

Matching the right talent with great causes for GoFundMe.

The Project

GoFundMe is the world’s biggest crowdfunding platform, with 10,000 new campaigns launched every day to help good causes around the world.

Since 2019, 89up has acted as the retained comms agency for GoFundMe in the UK, engaging with A-list celebrities, politicians, influencers and everyday heroes to raise money for issues they care deeply about.

Following the flooding caused by Storm Dennis, we worked with actor Michael Sheen to launch a campaign to help those affected in his homeland of Wales.

During the first coronavirus lockdown, we organised a marathon reading of the Hobbit with Gollum actor Andy Serkis, which raised over £300,000 for the NHS and children’s charity Best Beginnings.

After the explosions in Beirut harbour destroyed much of the historic city, we worked with pop star Mika on fundraising for an online benefit gig featuring Kylie Minogue and Salma Hayek, that raised nearly £200,000 in donations for Save The Children and the Lebanese Red Cross.

“89up is an exceptionally exciting agency and they were central to GoFundMe’s explosive UK growth since 2018. They have a deep understanding of our brand and have developed strong strategies across a range of audiences and channels.”

John Coventry
Europe & Australia Director, GoFundMe

We hosted a live streamed pub quiz with Al Murray, the Pub Landlord, arranged for Michael McIntyre to Facetime his fans, and worked with journalist Sali Hughes’ Beauty Banks charity to provide much needed soap and hand sanitiser to low income families.

We have also worked with everyday heroes including 12-year-old Astrid Aurell who provided Christmas presents to children in temporary accommodation.

Our work throughout 2020 resulted in campaigns raising over £1million in donations for a wide range of causes, particularly those helping people affected by Covid-19, and shows the generosity of the British public towards those in need.

Our campaigns have resulted in over 4,000 pieces of coverage internationally in titles including the Daily Telegraph, Dazed, Mashable, the Mail Online, CNN, the Guardian, The Times, Sky News, the New York Times and Rolling Stone.

In addition, we secured a number of high-profile slots for GoFundMe’s CEO, with interviews with Sky News, the Financial Times, the Daily Telegraph and Press Association.