What do you see when you look at this picture? Well for me I see the Golden Globes. Then I see Kathy Griffin. Then I see the "NO H8" painted on her face. So, I saw the celebrity before I saw the organization's logo, or advertisement. Kathy Griffin did her job. She brought attention to the NoH8 campaign.
It is very common for non-profit organizations to reach out to celebrities to endorse their cause. In a society that is so focused on celebrities and tabloids it is a smart move to gain popularity and, more importantly, support.
Let's go back to the picture. Adding Griffin's Golden Globes proves to the audience how successful she is. Her success means she has a large following, and once they see that she supports a certain cause they may also decide to support it.
The NoH8 logo on her face has one red number. This is because their campaign focuses on marriage, gender, and racial equality. Proposition 8 was the bill passed in California that amended the ban of same-sex marriage. The attention brought to the 8 by its contrasting color makes the audience wonder why it is different. This curiosity will lead to more research and what the organization hopes will be more supporters.
Using celebrities is truly a successful strategy for non-profits. Yes, it is risky, but the outcome is usually worth it. What are your thoughts? Are you more drawn to causes with celebrities who support it?
As you've pointed out in some previous posts, I think that using celebrities to endorse non-profit organizations "glamorizes" the organization and its cause to some extent. In the image above, I find it interesting that Griffin's Golden Globes are included. If it's meant to serve as support for her reputation, it almost seems somewhat self-aggrandizing in my opinion. I wonder if there's some other reason why they're included?
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