Barack Obama raises £7m in two weeks from donations of $3,000 or less…
Howard Lake | 29 February 2008 | Blogs
This speaks of the power not just of a presidential candidate but a combination of that and the celebrity factor. Of course, any presidential candidate will attract donations from those who seek influence or to back certain views, but if that was the only factor Hilary would be doing as well financially.
No, what we have here is the essence of celebrity culture. Touching the hem of greatness, hanging out with or celebrity socialising, even at a very respectful distance, comes at a price, and that is the political or charity donation. For us, this is a major donor fundraising tool and the lesson is not to look down on celebrity involvement or sneer at celebrity patrons, but to understand the crucial difference they can make to our fundraising.
It is unlikely is it not, that we should find everything in one person like some do in Barack; but I think that combining say, that eloquent CEO with the glamour of a celebrity can transform our events and make our lives a lot more fun.
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.