Having the endorsement of a celebrity is an effective marketing and advertising strategy for a brand looking to increase the sales of its product and/or service. The celebrity themselves are a known brand and with their association comes added popularity. An extension of the celebrity impact is associating that fame with a charity to increase the awareness of a worthy cause.
We have explored the relationship between Hollywood’s elite and the charitable organizations they support in several other posts such as 10 Most Charitable Celebrities from the 2012 Oscar Nominees, the 10 Top Forbes Power Celebrities and the Charities They Support, the 10 Highest Paid Celebrities from Forbes Under 30 List and their Philanthropic Efforts, 10 Top Celebrity Charitable Contributions and the 10 Highest Paid Actors from Forbes List and their Charities. Today we’re continuing to explore this relationship by looking at celebrity couples.
These pairs are about more than just tabloid fodder as they are all quite charitably inclined individually too. We used the Forbes list of the world’s five highest-paid celebrity couples as well as Look to the Stars to compile our list.
- 5) Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith – $40 million. Despite the divorce rumours that have hounded them this year, Will returned to the big screen with Men in Black 3 while Jada reprised her role as Gloria in Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted. Even with their hectic schedules the pair supported a number of charitable organizations including: 46664, Dream Foundation, Feeding America, Florida Marlins Community Foundation, LIVESTRONG, Living Classrooms Foundation, Miami Children’s Hospital Foundation, PACT, Red Cross, Youth Health Empowerment, FFAWN, Power of Parents, Will and Jada Smith Family Foundation and Youth Health Empowerment.
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4) Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie – $45 million. This is probably the couple who garners the most media and tabloid attention. Despite their fame and busy schedules, the number of charities that Brangelina supports is staggering: African Children’s Choir, Alliance For The Lost Boys Of Sudan, Ante Up For Africa, Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs of Canada, Cancer Schmancer Movement,Care to Learn, Child Find Ontario, Cinema For Peace, Clinton Global Initiative, Cure Autism Now, Daniel Pearl Foundation, DATA, Direct Change, Donate Life America, Doctors Without Borders, EB Medical Research Foundation, ENOUGH Project, Global Action for Children, Global Green, HALO Trust, Human Rights Watch, Jolie-Pitt Foundation, Kids in Need of Defense, Live 8, Make It Right, Make Poverty History, Millennium Promise, Millennium Villages, Mineseeker Foundation, Muhammad Ali Center, Not On Our Watch, ONE Campaign, ONEXONE, Peace One Day, Project A.L.S., Reporters Without Borders, Right To Play, Satellite Sentinel Project, Solar Neighbors Program, Sophie’s Gift, SOS Children’s Villages, UNHCR, UNICEF, UN Millennium Project, World Food Programme and Yéle Haiti Foundation.- 3) David Beckham and Victoria Beckham – $54 million. The soccer player’s income was boosted by his line at H&M. Victoria who is fresh off her
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Spice Girls performance at the London Olympics’ closing ceremony made a considerable amount due to her fashion line. With four children and busy careers, the pair still supports the following charities: BeatBullying, Cancer Research UK, Children in Need, CHOC Children’s, Comic Relief, Elton John AIDS Foundation, FC Harlem, Help for Heroes, Love Our Children USA, Malaria No More, mothers2mothers, National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, Peace One Day, Prince’s Trust, Raising Malawi, Red Cross, Sport Relief, UNICEF and Victoria and David Beckham Charitable Trust.
- 2) Tom Brady and Giselle Bundchen – $72 million. Modeling and football salaries aside, the pair makes most of their money from endorsement deals but still find time to support the following charities: Best Buddies International, David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, Music Rising, (RED), St. Francis Food Pantries and Shelters, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, United Nations Environment Programme, WWF and Zero Hunger.
- 1) Beyoncé Knowles and Jay-Z – $78 million. Last year they were the runner’s up on this list, but have managed to secure top honours this time around. The hip-hop mogul’s collaboration with Kanye West, was a huge financial success. Even with taking a break to give birth to daughter Blue Ivy Carter, Beyoncé made million through endorsements and licensing deals. Recently Beyoncé was the face of the United Nations World Humanitarian Day. The couple also supports: 46664, Artists for Peace and Justice, Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Candie’s Foundation, Clinton Bush Haiti Fund, Feeding America, Food Bank For New York City, GRAMMY Foundation, Kids Wish Network, Love Our Children USA, Miami Children’s Hospital Foundation, MusiCares, Music for Relief, Music Rising, Oxfam, PlayPumps, Red Cross, Save The Music Foundation, Stand Up To Cancer, Survivor Foundation, Shawn Carter Foundation, The Lunchbox Fund, The Samburu Project and Women’s Fund for Scotland.
The couples on this list are clearly deeply committed to helping others regardless of the hectic schedules they manage. Regardless of the extent of their involvement, any association will benefit these very worthy causes by increasing awareness with their legions of fans.
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