New Upbeat Website Helps Attract Celebrities

 

Guest post by Ollie Smallwood, Trustee of Upbeat

One year on from going live with a new Pimp My Cause-designed website, the music and mental health charity Upbeat is reaping the benefits of pro bono marketing advice and web design received from Pimp My Cause members.

The Upbeat website, planned and designed by Ed Kemp and Rob Porter, went live in May last year by which time Upbeat was already working with a new fundraising partner – the social enterprise Eazl. This Upbeat – Eazl collaboration has spawned the Art in a Box fundraiser, which has subsequently attracted fourteen high profile artists from the worlds of music, entertainment and sport to paint canvases in support of Upbeat.

The artwork, including pieces from Joanna Lumley, Coldplay and Sir Ian Botham, is due to be exhibited in London's Store Street Gallery from 19 - 23rd May before being auctioned at a gala fundraising evening on Friday 23rd May. Exciting times indeed for Upbeat!

Several years ago, through Pimp My Cause Upbeat also received some pro bono strategic marketing advice from John Grant where John suggested that Upbeat should look to forge links with high profile musicians and entertainers in the wake of reduced local authority funding. We think the Art in a Box project is a step towards this vision.

However, getting the project off the ground has relied heavily upon the impact, functionality and design of the new website, which initially helped to attract celebrity artists and a host of companies who have offered their services, products and venues in order to bring the Art In A Box fundraiser to life. The website also provides the ideal viewing platform for the Art In A Box gallery page through which site visitors can bid for the artwork.

In addition to this fundraising campaign, Upbeat has managed to secure funding for its core services in spring/ summer 2014 (i.e. running music workshops for those recovering from mental health issues) and has opened discussions with a large corporate over forming a longer-term partnership.

Operating within the current competitive environment for charity fundraising, Upbeat doubts whether it would have been possible to attract this level of support without its new online home. Everyone involved with Upbeat remains grateful to those who helped put this vital first building block in place.

Despite recent successes Upbeat recognises that more work is required to secure the organisation’s long-term future. With this in mind they are once again appealing to the kind-hearted Pimp My Cause professionals for help with social media and online marketing. Upbeat would love to hear from any marketing professionals with experience in these areas who might relish the challenge of reaching out to new supporters and helping this music and performing arts charity capitalise on their recent ‘brush with fame’.

Thanks in advance to the Pimp My Cause Community.

Please email anna@pimpmycause.org if you are interested in supporting Upbeat with your marketing talent.