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Getting celebrity endorsement for your charity could put you on a fast track to greater market awareness and penetration. Or could it?

There are widely differing views on this topic. Those in favour say that, like it or not, we live in a celebrity-obsessed culture so we may as well feed that obsession (via the media) for the good of the community.

Those against, claim that many potential audiences are utterly fatigued by celebrity; that there is diminishing novelty value; and that celebrities can generally be more trouble than they’re worth unless.

To do or not to do?

If you’re a small charity the truth is that enlisting the right celebrity can raise your media profile – and possibly give you access to new potential donors and influencers. Here are the basics to consider...

Relevance and empathy

Look to identify someone with a personal connection or ‘story’ associated with your own charity. It far increases the chance of buy in from them – and the public.

Don’t aim too high

Be realistic. There are exceptions to every rule. Take the Essex charity Action for Mental Health, that example. It caused a media storm when the tiny charity landed movie action hero Jackie Chan as its patron. However, if you’re a small charity the laws of supply and demand dictate that you’re far more likely to gain success – and time – with a D-lister than an A-lister.

Going local

In terms of pure logistics and availability - as well as media interest - a local celebrity should be your ideal.

How will they perform?

Celebrity or not, the person you choose needs to be articulate, passionate and knowledgeable about the cause they will represent.

Are they liked?

It may sound obvious, but it might be worth checking with your stakeholders just to make sure they don’t have an aversion to the celebrity in question for some reason.

Make checks

Do your homework and check for any potential skeletons in the cupboard – or indeed any existing charitable work that could clash and cause embarrassment.

Be realistic

Doing charitable work provides great PR for celebrities as well as your own organisation. It’s all part of the game, and something you probably need to accept.
 

Do it yourself?

A nice letter, email or phone call can really work. But first you need to identify a celebrity…

Ask around: Ask any staff, volunteers, donors - and anyone else you know – if they know a local (or relevant) celebrity. You might be surprised what this turns up…

Use your local media: Keep tabs of local stories to identify celebrities that live locally. If you have a good relationship with a local newspapers or broadcast media they may even be able to help you out.

Agents are important: Remember, agents are the gatekeepers to their celebrity clients. You will need to win them over and their single most-important criteria will be, “How does this relationship benefit and impact my client?” Be prepared for questions.

Think plural: Celebrities and their agents invariably number other celebrities and agents among their friends. Use this to your advantage and you may be able to secure multiple commitments.

More information

Equity – the trade union for actors and their agents

Upfront Celebrity Services – a large database of celebrty contact information

Celebdaq –  a league table of celebrities based on column inches