Guide to Running Influencer Marketing with a Charity

For you if: You want to help people & grow your company so you can help more people.

Dennis Ksendzov

Founder · April 15, 2026 · 9 min read

For you if:

You want to help people & grow your company so you can help more people

Donate to the creator's own charity

The limited-edition release is aligned to a day-one donation of $100,000 from Culture Pop Soda to The Busyhead Project, Kahan's mental health initiative.
Read it: PR Newswire, Jan 15, 2026

Steps:

Start from his favourite: His favourite flavour, remade as a limited edition to give back.
Announce first: Announce the partnership months early (fall 2025), launch the product in January.
Keep it going: Keep going after launch: events, giveaways & givebacks with him.

Match every dollar donated on purchase

Onnit x Lance Armstrong: Black Friday spot, matched every dollar donated with a purchase for testicular cancer.

The cause (Movember) was part of why he agreed.

This Black Friday, get some good karma back. Onnit will match every dollar donated with purchase to fight testicular cancer.
Read it: The Drum, Nov 17, 2018

Steps:

Find influencers in your connections: He was already close: on the founder's podcast & training at the gym.
Script before the ask: Build the whole idea first, then pitch it; he replied "Funny. I'm in."
- Resarch and find details here
  - The connection: Onnit already knew Lance Armstrong: he'd been a guest on founder Aubrey Marcus's podcast & worked out at the Onnit Gym in Austin. (The Drum, Nov 17, 2018)
  - The model: Onnit started from REI's Opt-Outside idea: do something good to offset Black Friday's consumerism, built on a tight budget with an entirely in-house team. (The Drum, Nov 17, 2018)
  - How they picked him: Onnit thought about celebrities who live in Austin: Aubrey happened to have had dinner with Lance a couple of days before. (The Drum, Nov 17, 2018)
  - The joke: The idea was Zoltar, the fortune machine from Big: Armstrong wishes to be complete again, which plays off Onnit's own Total Human supplement. (The Drum, Nov 17, 2018)
  - The script beats: The machine first offers 25% off supplements, then 18% off fitness equipment, before Armstrong demands 'Give me my ball, Zoltar!' (The Drum, Nov 17, 2018)
  - Why he said yes: Armstrong agreed partly because he trusted Aubrey Marcus & partly to give back to the Movember Foundation for men's health. (The Drum, Nov 17, 2018)
  - No changes needed: Onnit's VP of brand, Michael Aaron, produced the spot; Armstrong never asked to change a single line & added his own one-liners. (The Drum, Nov 17, 2018)
Personal cause tie: Pick a cause tied to his story: Movember, men's health.
- Find the story
  - Ties to his story: His reply joked that it's 'the right one that is missing,' & in the spot he asks Zoltar to make him complete. (The Drum, Nov 17, 2018)
  - The diagnosis: Armstrong was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1996, then declared cancer-free in February 1997 after treatment. (CNN, Sep 8, 2026)
  - His own charity: He set up the Lance Armstrong Foundation, now Livestrong, in 1997 & rode the Ikon Ride for the Roses for it in May 1998. (Livestrong; CNN, Sep 8, 2026)
  - Why Movember fits: Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in young men, but highly curable when caught early: the survival rate is over 95%. (Movember)
  - The scale: Movember is one of the major funders of prostate & testicular cancer research, active in 21 countries. (Movember, Jun 17, 2014)
Nail the timing: Time it to Black Friday & shoot it in-house on a small budget.

The results:

Press: The Drum's readers named it US Creative Work of the Week. (The Drum, Nov 28, 2018)

Bring in charities as investors

AQUAhydrate x Wounded Warrior Project

“We’re excited to join forces with Wounded Warrior Project,” said AQUAhydrate investor/board member Mark Wahlberg. “AQUAhydrate is proud to support their mission to impact and empower the lives of wounded veterans.”
Read it: BevNET, 2019

Steps:

Co-brand the SKU: Put the cause on your fastest-growing pack: a camo Gallon edition.
End on a holiday: Run it through the Fourth of July, in CVS, GNC & more.
Generate PR with the investor

Best for PR

Let creators run the fundraiser

ZOA x two positivity TikTok creators

JT Laybourne & Ed Delmore: ran #KindnessCAN 30 days, ending in a 3-hour TikTok Live for Made of Millions.

We partnered with the top two positivity TikTok creators known for their efforts in fundraising, championing positivity and curating a community of supportive individuals. Read it: The Shorty Awards
Read it: PR Newswire, Nov 18, 2021

Steps:

Poll first: Poll your customers to build up PR.
Fundraising creators: Pick 2 creators who make it publicly state their mission and focus on that
- talk about the example
  - Pick the right two: ZOA partnered with the top two positivity TikTok creators, known for fundraising, championing positivity & building a supportive community. (The Shorty Awards)
  - What AHA says: The American Heart Association says JT Laybourne has raised over $1 million on TikTok for it. (American Heart Association)
  - Their own words: JT Laybourne called it an honor to partner with ZOA; Ed Delmore called the Live more inspiring than he'd imagined. (PR Newswire, Oct 15, 2021; PR Newswire, Nov 18, 2021)
  - Their month-long push: For a month, the two went virtual & in-person with random acts of kindness, stopping at Santa Monica's Promenade & the LACMA Urban Light exhibit. (PR Newswire, Nov 18, 2021)
  - What ZOA wanted: ZOA CEO Michael Pengue said the goal was to remind the community how far even simple acts of kindness can go. (PR Newswire, Oct 15, 2021)
**30-day countdown:Time constraint on a existing event (**World Kindness Day).

Tactical

Donate button on: Have creators turn on TikTok's donate button on their videos from day one.
Pop-up in cities: Run a pop-up in cities: hand out a can & a challenge coin.
- talk about influencers in pop ups
  - Where it started: The first pop-up ran in Los Angeles, at the Dolby Theater on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, drawing hundreds of passersby. (PR Newswire, Oct 15, 2021)
  - The mirror: At the pop-up, Laybourne & Delmore set up a mirror reading 'you are enough,' & had people step up to find kindness in themselves. (PR Newswire, Oct 15, 2021)
  - What people got: Thousands who stepped up got a can of ZOA Energy plus a Challenge Coin, with the ask to pass kindness along to someone else. (PR Newswire, Oct 15, 2021; The Shorty Awards)
  - Nationwide reach: The creators ran the pop-up mirror with the ZOA Energy & Made of Millions teams, popping up in cities nationwide. (The Shorty Awards)
  - poppi: poppi had Paris Hilton DJ a night for celebrities & influencers, then opened it to the public: over 5,000 people came over two days. (our page: How to have a bigger product launch (with influencers))
Wear brand colours: Ask the audience to wear your colours (black & gold) & join the live.
- Amplifications and other techniques
  - Open call: Beyond the two lead creators, ZOA asked anyone to post a video with the campaign hashtag showing an act of kindness. (The Shorty Awards)
  - Add the donate button: It kicked off on the TikTok partner accounts, then the whole community was encouraged to add the donate button to their own videos for Made of Millions. (The Shorty Awards)
  - Two press releases: ZOA put out two PR Newswire releases: the partnership announcement on October 15, 2021, then a recap after the Live on November 18. (PR Newswire, Oct 15, 2021; PR Newswire, Nov 18, 2021)
  - Star power too: The award entry links TikToks from The Rock's own account as campaign media too; the same page says he co-founded ZOA in 2021. (The Shorty Awards)
  - Free press too: The campaign also drew coverage from numerous media outlets for the creators' involvement & their acts of kindness. (The Shorty Awards)
  - Also credited: The Shorty Awards entry lists Seven Bucks Marketing jointly with ZOA Energy as the campaign's entrant. (The Shorty Awards)
Live on his account: Run a 3-hour live on the creator's TikTok, with guest creators & mascots. (PR Newswire, Nov 18, 2021)
- guide to influencer lives
  - Minimum age to host: From November 23, 2022, TikTok raised the minimum age to host a Live from 16 to 18. (TikTok Newsroom, Oct 17, 2022)
  - Tell people it's paid: TikTok's Branded Content Policy counts being a brand ambassador as Branded Content, which must carry the commercial content disclosure toggle turned on. (TikTok, Aug 4, 2026)
  - Donate inside the app: TikTok's Donation Stickers, introduced in an April 2020 post, let viewers donate inside a Live without leaving the app, through Tiltify. (TikTok Newsroom, Apr 27, 2020)
  - Know the platform cap: In October 2022, TikTok let a host bring up to 5 guests into a Live at once, in a grid or panel. (TikTok Newsroom, Oct 17, 2022)
  - The guest list: Guests included TikTokers Sheena Melwani & The Real Indian Dad, plus mascots Blitz The Seahawk, Louie & the Utah Jazz Bear; Melwani also sang. (PR Newswire, Nov 18, 2021)
  - What happened live: During the Live, the community heard from celebrity guests & learned about Made of Millions straight from their own team. (The Shorty Awards)
  - Two Live totals: Two different numbers for the Live: the Shorty Awards entry says over 100,000 viewers & $54,500 in 2.5 hours; PR Newswire says $55,700 raised for Made of Millions. (The Shorty Awards; PR Newswire, Nov 18, 2021)
A story a day: Post one profile a day (12 Days of Kindness) on site & social before the live. (PR Newswire, Nov 18, 2021)
- Traction this build up
  - Set the frame: ZOA framed the whole push as a 30-day, coast-to-coast journey leading up to World Kindness Day, not a single live event. (The Shorty Awards)
  - Announce it early: ZOA announced the partnership & campaign on October 15, 2021, about a month before the November 13 Live. (PR Newswire, Oct 15, 2021)
  - One story a day: In the run-up, ZOA posted one new profile a day, 12 Days of Kindness, spotlighting teachers, frontline workers & parents. (PR Newswire, Nov 18, 2021)
  - Views: By the time of the award entry, #KindnessCAN had over 90M views across social platforms & was still climbing. (The Shorty Awards)
  - Growth by the entry: The award entry reports ZOA's following up 360%, engagement up 219%, & reach up 98% across social platforms. (The Shorty Awards)
  - Shorty's total: The Shorty Awards entry puts total fundraising at over $64,000 across the 30 days. (The Shorty Awards)

The results:

The live: over 100,000 viewers & $54,500 raised in 2.5 hours. (The Shorty Awards)
Raised in total: over $64,000 raised across the 30 days. (The Shorty Awards)
Views: over 90M views of #KindnessCAN across social platforms. (The Shorty Awards)
Following: ZOA's following grew 360% across social platforms. (The Shorty Awards)

Donation per items sold

Olipop let fans build a Pair & Share 12-pack: two flavors, or Camila Cabello's own pair.

Every one sold, May 2 to July 31, sent $2, up to $50,000.

OLIPOP will make a donation of $2 for every "Pair & Share'' 12-pack sold between May 2 - July 31st, up to $50,000, to Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA), supporting its mission to ensure that every family has access to healthy, high-quality food.
Read it: LBBOnline, May 5, 2023

Steps:

Celebrity with equity: Use a celebrity who's an investor in the brand, not a hired face.
Real family, no actors: Cast her real family, not actors: her grandmother & mother are in it.
A product to sell: Sell a pick-2-flavours 12-pack, or her pair: Vintage Cola & Strawberry Vanilla.
Per unit, capped: $2 a pack, May 2 to July 31, capped at $50,000.
Say what it buys: Translate the cap into servings: up to 140,000 for families in need.
Who to call: Her reps: Roger Gold & Gian Mitchell at WME, & The Lede Company.

The results:

No figure: we found no final donation total, only the $50,000 cap.

Sell merch that funds her own charity

Waiakea x Angela Lee Pucci: capsule with streetwear brand In4mation, launched on World Mental Health Day.

Proceeds go to Fightstory, the charity she founded herself.

Proceeds from the capsule will be donated directly to Fightstory.
Read it: Waiākea, Oct 1, 2025

Steps:

Merch by a partner: Let a streetwear partner, In4mation, make the merch capsule
Drop on cause's day: Launch online Oct 10, World Mental Health Day, on the partner's own store.
Event the next day: Run an event Oct 11: open mat, a talk story session & a pop-up.
Make it a series: Make it one drop in a 'Collabs with Purpose' series you started earlier.