Entertainment Technology News

YouTube Stars 'Rally' for Good

By StudentFilmmakers.com
posted Jun 13, 2013, 15:31

Big Frame, a YouTube media brand and multi-channel network, today announced a first-of-its-kind partnership with the online fundraising platform Rally.org, fusing social influencers with crowdfunding for causes that matter.

Leveraging YouTube celebrity in order to fundraise online for good has exploded in popularity across the country. In the lead-up to the Academy Awards, the two young stars of The Buzkashi Boys, an Oscar-nominated short filmed in Afghanistan, turned to Rally.org to pay for the cost of their travel from Kabul to L.A. Because of Rally.org, the boys were able to attend the Oscars, with money left over. Now the leaders in online fundraising and in YouTube video creation will supercharge online crowdfunding and change lives by mobilizing audiences worldwide for social good.

In what will mark an ongoing relationship, five talents from Big Frame’s network -- MysteryGuitarMan, BrizzyVoices, AuParis, E-LizzieBooks and MikeyThePlatypus -- will release individual charity-oriented videos to launch online fundraising campaigns via Rally.org. Other stars from the network are on board to roll out campaigns in the coming months, as well. To date, Big Frame’s stable of talent has received 3.2 billion views on YouTube.

Each star has chosen a different non-profit to educate his or her audience about and fundraise around. For the launch Big Frame’s stars have chosen these non-profits:

Mystery Guitar Man (Joe Penna): Brings his signature special effects and directorial style to public health. Joe informs his users about Medic Mobile, a San Francisco-based startup that provides cutting-edge public health tools to the developing world.

Friends of Wonderly: Big Frame’s innovative female creators channel, Wonderly, produced a mashup video in support of Women for Women International, empowering thousands of women survivors of war.

Big Frame's LGBT stars—Davidoutt, Mikey The Platypus, PJ Scott-Blankenship, Hanksterchen, and ElloSteph—sound off on topics as varied as bullying, relationships, how to come out to your parents, and Game of Thrones. These five have taken to Rally.org to fundraise for the Gay-Straight Alliance Network. The non-profit encourages middle- and high-school students to fight homophobia and transphobia on a peer-to-peer level by providing a safe space for LGBTQ and straight kids to advocate for equality.

BrizzyVoices: Will use her voiceover talents to benefit Operation Smile, a worldwide children’s charity treating facial deformities such as cleft lips and cleft palates.

AuParis: Uses her acerbic wit to help get someone a camel. Donations on her Rally.org page will go to Heifer International, an organization dedicated to ending poverty and hunger in a long-term, sustainable fashion.

E-LizzieBooks: Urges her fans to follow her lead and adopt pets who need homes. She’s choosing to benefit her local Atlanta Humane Society.

Tom Serres, CEO and Co-Founder of Rally.org, says, “We’re thrilled to partner with Big Frame in this mashup for good, charting new ground in online fundraising. We think the alliance of two great brands will inspire additional content creators to produce more YouTube videos for what matters.”

Sarah Penna, Big Frame’s Co-Founder and Head of Talent agrees: “Giving back is part of Big Frame’s DNA. We already have seen great success with this type of endeavor on Rally.org, with OverlyAttachedGirlfriend’s $23K raise for SurfCamp. We’re excited to pair our creators with Rally.org in a more permanent fashion by leveraging their influence for good.”

“It was remarkable to see the dollars flow in overnight,” says Rally.org’s Serres. “Traditionally, charitable organizations have had to spend years building email lists and relationships for what OAG accomplished in a matter of hours.”

Traditional celebrities have long used their star power to support their favorite causes. YouTube celebrities are chomping at the bit to do the same. With this partnership they can rally their fans to join them at Rally.org/BigFrame.

About Big Frame

Big Frame (http://www.bigfra.me) was founded in 2011 as a media company and talent management firm that helps creators develop an audience, monetize content and build sustainable career trajectories on and offline. The company was part of YouTube’s Original Channels Initiative in Fall 2011 and launched its first funded channel, Bammo, in April 2012. The Big Frame network features some of YouTube’s highest performing talent including Dave Days, Destorm Power, and MysteryGuitarMan, making it a consistent Comscore leader with over 8 million monthly unique viewers, reaching over 15 million subscribers. Big Frame has worked with global brands including Fox, Hasbro, Levi’s, The Home Depot, Sony Electronics, THQ, and Virgin Mobile, amongst others. For more information visit http://www.bigfra.me and follow Big Frame on twitter for updates: @bigframeco

About Rally.org
Rally.org is an easy to use storytelling platform that's designed to empower technical and non-technical users to fundraise and build social awareness on a large scale. To date, Rally has enabled over 25,000 individuals and organizations to share and broadcast their passions, provide solutions to problems, leverage social networks, and mobilize communities.

Rally.org's 5 million users vary in size and scope and address a wide range of topics. The site has been used by everyone from political candidates for campaign fundraising to Jon Bon Jovi’s non-profit foundation to help raise money for Hurricane Sandy relief. Others have created Rally campaigns to help cover the cost of medical expenses, pay for tuition, start companies, fund films and everything in-between.

Resources:

rally.org

www.bigfra.me