# A-Team's Mr T supports ORBIS with online adverts

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2004/12/20/ateam039s-mr-t-supports-orbis-online-adverts/
- Published: 2004-12-20T00:00:00+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

**Sight charity ORBIS is launching its first online advertising campaign featuring
actor Mr T, who played BA Baracus in the cult TV series The A-Team.**

The campaign, which launches just before Christmas, is aimed at raising awareness
of the charity amongst 20 to 45 year olds in the UK.

In the run-up to Christmas Mr T will appear in a series of Web banner adverts as
BA Baracus to inform people of the charity’s Flying Eye Hospital and sight saving
work around the globe.

## Advertisement

 [⌊Posthub advert. You create the campaign. We'll handle the postal journey. Get started at post-hub.co.uk.⌉](https://fundraising.co.uk/ads/posthub-20261007-300x250/)

A running joke on the TV series was BA Baracus’ point-blank refusal to get on any
kind of aeroplane. Speaking from LA, Mr T said: “ORBIS are doing a fine job in saving
sight and preventing blindness in the world’s poorest countries. I’m happy to be
helping them raise money for their training programmes and the ORBIS Flying Eye 
Hospital”.

 
 ⌊[banner advert]⌉

ORBIS hired online advertising company Lean Mean Fighting Machine to produce the
campaign. Sammy Dunham, ORBIS E-Communications Manager added: “Mr T was voted fourth
best American in a recent BBC poll. To have such an iconic figure actively endorse
our work in reducing those afflicted by avoidable blindness is a measure of its 
importance and is invaluable in helping us to increase our profile.”

The campaign consists of three different banner ads in which BA explains why thinks
ORBIS deserves support. In one ad he says: “I pity the fool who refuses to help 
blind people see again. I ain’t getting on no plane, but I will donate some cash
to the ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital.”

The ads will be running over the Christmas period on The Guardian, NME, and Friends
Reunited.

 * **[Charities Bill published](https://fundraising.co.uk/2004/12/21/charities-bill-published/)**(
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 * **[US foundations give $3 billion in international grants for fourth year running](https://fundraising.co.uk/2004/12/27/us-foundations-give-3-billion-international-grants-fourth-year-running/)**(
   27 December 2004)
