Uber has teamed up with Australian Red Cross and New Zealand Red Cross for its annual Clothing Drive, this year enlisting pop culture and fashion icon Melanie C to encourage Aussies and Kiwis to part with their quality pre-loved clothing.
The one-day national initiative will take place on Saturday, 17 October, with residents in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Canberra, as well as Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, able to book a free Courier delivery through the Uber or Uber Eats app to send eligible clothing directly to Red Cross Shops.
The campaign has been led by Poem across strategy, creative, earned publicity and influencer activity, with EssenceMediaCom handling paid media, History Will Be Kind leading corporate earned publicity in Australia and Acumen managing earned publicity in New Zealand.
At the centre of the campaign is Melanie C, who uses her own wardrobe as the creative hook, opening up her personal fashion archive to select five pieces to donate, including three tracksuits, a sequin suit and a little black Gucci dress.
The campaign plays on the emotional attachment people can have to clothing, with the former Spice Girl demonstrating that even pieces associated with significant memories and moments can be given a second life.
Uber ANZ head of marketing Nicole Bardsley described the annual clothing drive as one of the company’s “most impactful annual traditions”.
“Having a global icon like Melanie C lead the charge brings incredible spice and scale to our core mission,” Bardsley said. “It’s easily one of my favourite campaigns of the year, and working alongside iconic talent to empower Aussies and Kiwis to clear out their quality wardrobe pieces for a great cause makes it exceptionally special.”
Uber marketing manager and campaign lead Olivia Sykes said the campaign was designed to move the act of donating away from feeling like a chore.
“Building on our focus on quality over quantity, this year’s campaign taps into the emotional connection we have with our wardrobes,” Sykes said.
“Parting with clothes you love should not feel like a chore, it can actually feel incredibly good.”
Sykes added that Melanie C’s involvement brought authenticity to the idea, pointing to the pop star’s decision to donate pieces from her own wardrobe.
“If Sporty Spice can hand over her most cherished wardrobe pieces to Red Cross Shops, we know Aussies and Kiwis will be inspired to look through their closets as well,” she said.
The campaign also aims to highlight the practical impact of donating quality clothing, with Red Cross noting that higher-quality donations require less sorting time for volunteers and can reach shop floors faster.
Australian Red Cross director of marketing, communications and customer experience Kira Reed said the eight-year partnership with Uber had helped turn clothing donations into support for its humanitarian programs.
“When people donate quality pieces, it reduces sorting time for our dedicated volunteers and helps us get those items onto Red Cross Shop floors faster,” Reed said.
“Every quality piece donated on 17 October directly raises vital funds for our humanitarian programs.”
New Zealand Red Cross communications, marketing and philanthropy director Rowan Worner said Melanie C’s involvement would help encourage people across generations to revisit their wardrobes.
“She is leading by example by donating her own iconic pieces, which we are incredibly excited for New Zealanders to discover in their local Red Cross Shops,” Worner said.
Poem strategy director Chelsea Wright said the campaign was intended to demonstrate rather than simply tell people why they should donate.
“Melanie C’s tracksuits are some of the most recognisable looks in pop culture, so seeing her hand them over gives people permission to go through their own wardrobes and part with the good stuff,” Wright said.
“With a free Courier pickup from the front door, it’s never been easier to act on that feeling.”
The campaign follows last year’s Clothing Drive, which collected almost 125,000kg of quality clothing in Australia and 64,000kg in New Zealand.
Credits
Client: Uber
Head of Marketing, ANZ: Nicole Bardsley
Senior Marketing Manager, ANZ: Olivia Sykes
Director of Communications, ANZ: Peta Fitzgerald
Senior Communications Manager, ANZ: Bonnie Ko
Creative Director, APAC: Adam Ledbury
Social Media Lead ANZ: Haley Evirgen
Partner: Australian Red Cross
Head of Retail: Richard Wood
Retail Operations Manager: Brooke Sclater
Director of Marketing, Communication and Customer Experience: Kira Reed
Head of Media and Communication: Lilly Ward
Senior Manager of Marketing, Communication and Customer Experience: Lucy Baynes
Social Media Senior Specialist: Julian Rizzo-Smith
Partner: New Zealand Red Cross
General Manager, Engagement and Enterprise: Shane Chisholm
Director, Communications, Marketing & Philanthropy: Rowan Worner
Communications Manager: Hanna Butler
Communications and Engagement Advisor: Netra Timilsina
Marketing Manager: Harpreet Singh
Commercial Marketing Advisor: Eleanor Morrison-Mills
Strategy, Creative, Publicity & Influencer: Poem
CEO: Rob Lowe
Executive Director, Strategy & Social: Alex Watts
Creative Director: Tom Manning
Strategy Director: Chelsea Wright
Senior Account Director: Alex Height
Account Director: Robbie Purcell
Senior Account Manager: Vanessa Chamoun
Social Creative: Angus Roberts
Junior Art Director: Ruby Clarke
Account Manager: Georgia Tiernan
Senior Account Executive: Iris Yuan
Production:
Talent: Melanie Chisholm
Director: MarySue Masson
Agency Producer (Poem): Hattie Morgan
Head of Production (Entropico): Evan Groll
Executive Producer (Entropico): Kyle Blanshard
Sr Producer (UK): Nordie Childs
Sr Producer (AU): Shaye Guillory
Producer: Rachel Booth
1st AD: Andrew Vammick
Director of Photography: Matthew J. Smith
Melanie C’s Creative Director: Graham Cruz
Global Head of Marketing & Strategy, Various Artist Management: Rebecca Dixon
Day-To-Day Manager, Various Artist Management: Amelia Stott
1st AC: Stephanie Kennedy
2nd AC / Clapper Loader: Matt Hollis
Playback: Alex James-Saleh
Sound Op: Matt Buckley
DIT: Judy Tett
Gaffer: Massimo Filippi
Sound Recordist: Matt Buckley
Spark: Dylan Schultz-Soo
Spark: Maxence Ewers
Photographer: Edd Hoarder
Digi / 1st Assistant: Rory Ronnie
Lighting Assist: Rob Palmer
Art Director (remote): Hunter Sisters
Set Decorator: Poppy Riddell
Set Decorator Assistant: Elly Maddock
Hair: Ryan Steedman
Make Up: Bekki Mitchell
Nails: Karen Louise
Stylist: Emily Pirouet
Assistant Stylist: Savana Souter
Production Assistant / Runner: Jasmin Ellmer
Runner: Orlando Bryant
Melanie C’s Driver: Guy Anderson
Post Editor: Jos Eastwood
Media Agency: EssenceMediacom
Cordelia Ong: Implementation & Activation Associate Manager
Matt Leahy: Implementation & Activation Director
Olivia Riley: Assistant Brand Manager
Retail Agency: RX
Simon Porter Retail Experience Director
Gayathri Wijeskera Client Service Director
Publicity (Australia): History Will be Kind
Jack Hazeldine, Senior Account Director
Sarah Cefai, Senior Account Manager
Brooke Gascoigne, Account Manager
Laura Ford, Senior Account Executive
Juliet Rowley, Account Coordinator
Publicity (New Zealand): Acumen
Alysha Dingle, Executive Director, Acumen
Desmond Nash, Group Account Director, Acumen
Piper Byers, Senior Account Manager, Acumen
Sam Dahlberg, Account Manager, Acumen
Keeley James, Account Manager, Acumen
