A celebrity endorsement brings a familiar name and face to a cause and broadens the audience for other potential participants. Take a look at what Ashton Kutcher and others are doing to promote their causes through GQ's Gentlemen's Fund.
Celebrities are interesting people - plain and simple. From careers in entertainment to their personal lives, celebrities have the capability to draw the attention of the public - including their involvement in charitable and philanthropic causes. Today, many celebrities are lending more than just their names to issues and organizations, but their time and talents as well. As familiar faces, celebrities have the power to help focus donor and volunteer energy on a particular project to push for a quick solution to a crisis or to buttress the flagging efforts on an endangered or obscure cause. With an engaged fan base, celebrities naturally have a broad audience to use as a platform for their cause - often times, issues that are personal to them. Celebrity power goes beyond the ability to bring awareness, but can inspire people to donate, volunteer and actively engage in a cause. As well known public figures, celebrities can serve as role models for youth by encouraging the habit of giving and volunteering. Celebrities can also give a face to an organization - a celebrity endorsement can help make a cause personal and trustworthy to the average donor.
One initiative that utilizes celebrity power for the sake of good is GQ’s Gentlemen’s Fund, where Adrian Grenier, David Arquette, Ashton Kutcher and Josh Duhamel each serve as an ambassador for one of the Fund’s four key issues: conservation, education, hunger and integrity. For each of the four causes, the Gentlemen’s Fund celebrity ambassadors have partnered with charities and corporate sponsors to bring awareness, encourage donations and advocate for active engagement for these issues. Although it is inspiring to see Adrian Grenier deep sea diving with Oceana, David Arquette volunteering with Feeding America, and Josh Duhamel representing the Pat Tillman Foundation - the message present in all of these causes is the encouragement of others to get involved. As Ashton Kutcher says in his public service announcement regarding his involvement with UNICEF for education:
Part of being an active citizen is participating in ways to help other people… Change in the world starts with change in yourself.
These four representatives have set a standard as role models for the Gentlemen’s Fund in what it means to be a gentleman and an active citizen.
While Adrian, David, Ashton and Josh participate in causes they are personally passionate about, the Gentlemen’s Fund also draws attention to other men acting as agents of change through a variety of programs. The Better Man Better World Search asks for nominations of ordinary men doing extraordinary things and will donate $10,000 to the charity selected by the grand prize winner. The Gentlemen’s Fund is also creating dialogue amongst readers by asking the simple question, “What Makes A 21st Century Gentleman?” in their Gentlemen’s Creed Sweepstakes. Visitors to the Gentlemen’s Fund site can also make direct donations to Oceana, UNICEF or the Pat Tillman Foundation or purchase products from the website store where proceeds go to the respective charity organization.
We at The Case Foundation are excited to see celebrity leaders participating in causes, not just for the work they do as individuals but the change they inspire in others. To learn more about the GQ’s Gentlemen’s Fund, the work they do and ways to get involved, visit their website.
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