# The Power of Celebrity

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2009/07/16/power-celebrity/
- Published: 2009-07-16T13:28:05+01:00
- Author: Kevin Baughen

**I once saw an extremely funny American comedian who explained that the only way
you could ever hope to be cured of a major disease was if someone famous also had
it. **

I wish I could remember the guy’s name as his point seems very well observed.  This
week, [Conservative Leader David Cameron](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8153116.stm)
has made the national press highlighting Tory plans to help families of disabled
children get better access to specialist services.  I believe he is writing from
the heart when he recounts  the difficulties he and his wife had in looking after
their son Ivan, who died earlier this year having suffered with both cerebral palsy
and epilepsy.

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As a result, he is committed to several important objectives:

 * reducing red tape for families to wade through
 * halting the closure of ‘special schools’
 * stopping local authority internal wrangles preventing care getting to those in
   need
 * an increase in the number of health visitors
 * ensuring a clear entitlement to respite care.

I’m not here to bang the Tory drum in particular.  I want to know why these great
initiatives weren’t a priority for the previous leader?  Why is it that as soon 
as Gordon Brown has a family, that children are at the heart of a multitude of policies
and fundraising plans?

The answer is simple; issues close to home always rate a higher priority.  And if
an individual has influence, they tend to exert it.

This is the reason charities try to find celebrities to support their cause.  By
default, celebrities have a  louder voice than the rest of us and can raise awareness
of all sorts of issues.  But the most successful fundraising campaigns seem to be
where the celebrity is not just interested but has a personal stake in the cause.

Think how powerful the support of people like [Roy Castle](http://www.roycastle.org),
[Bob Monkhouse](http://www.giveafewbob.org) and [Lance Armstrong](http://www.looktothestars.org/celebrity/480-lance-armstrong)
has been and still is to cancer charities.  Before the comments come flying in, 
I’m not so crass as to suggest that we should all seek out poorly celebrities to
exploit them for fundraising ends.  That would be in poor taste and probably deeply
unethical for many.

Instead, we could look for the positive signals and triggers rather than the negatives.
For example, celebrities like Mr Brown starting a family might signal an increased
interest in children’s causes with them.  Similarly, Olympic success for an individual
might signal support for local or community programmes.

Using celebrities well is a bit of minefield but can bring great benefits.  The 
best resource I’ve seen to help is a book written by Eileen Hammond called [Patrons, Presidents and Personalities](https://fundraising.co.uk/books/patrons-presidents-and-personalities-working-with-high-level-volunteers/).
It’s basically a step by step guide for charities who want to use celebrity to support
their cause and well worth a look.

 

 * **[Limited edition art offered on sale or return basis for charity auctions](https://fundraising.co.uk/2009/08/06/limited-edition-art-offered-sale-or-return-basis-charity-auctions/)**(
   6 August 2009)
 * **[Janet Ellis becomes a patron of fpa](https://fundraising.co.uk/2009/08/28/janet-ellis-becomes-patron-fpa/)**(
   28 August 2009)
 * **[Joanna Lumley to become Ambassador for CWS](https://fundraising.co.uk/2009/08/28/joanna-lumley-become-ambassador-cws/)**(
   28 August 2009)