Seven years ago we lost our mate to melanoma.
He was only 26.
At his wake, we came up with an idea called Beard Season.
The idea was that each winter we'd commit to growing our beards, getting a skincheck and then using our beards as life saving conversation starters - encouraging as many people as possible to do the same.
Fast forward seven years and Beard Season is now a fully registered charity with a community of over 80 thousand ambassadors from more than 14 different countries. We've hosted events for over 35 thousand people, generated over $4.2 million in earned media and save an average of a life a week.
Check out the #BeardSeasonVictories hashtag on instagram.
This is our primary KPI.
We've managed to acomplish all this with little to no funding. But it's time to step things up. So, our founding ambassador - Jimmy Niggles Esq. is setting sights on shaving his beard. A beard he's had since the first ever Beard Season.
A beard which has recently recruited Sir. Richard Branson, been painted gold, spoken at TEDx, featured in international ad campaigns and splashed across TV, Newspaper, and Digital Media all over the world. Becoming the mouthpiece for not only our charity but beards everywhere.
However, this glorious rich mahogany neck mane will not be shaved until we have raised a million dollars. Fulfilling its destiny as the #MillionDollarBeard.
To help us reach this hairy audacious goal, we're calling on everyone who's ever taken part in Beard Season, grown a beard, stroked a beard, or even seen a beard to get involved. To do whatever it takes to reach our million dollar tally.
Beard Season is a fully tax deductable charity, so (especially for CORPORATES AND BUSINESS OWNERS) this is your time to put your money where your beard grows. To support us in our growth. Ultimately establishiing a free #BeardSeasonSkincheck program, putting dermatologists at beaches, festivals and sporting events where they're needed most.
We've trialled this program with roughly 1/3 of all people checked finding a suss looking spot which could have turned nasty had it not been for this service. A service which has been proven to save lives and is desperately needed. Especially in Australia - where melanoma is known as our 'national cancer'.
Over the course of winter we're calling on everyone to do whatever it takes to help us raise the funds. You can start your own sponsorship page right here with your own personal goal. Rallying your friends together to help you reach it. Like losing a few KG's, running a marathon, scaling a mountain or swimming nude from Brinte to Bondi. Whatever you love doing, you can do it now to save lives.
This is your time to flex your networks, wine and dine, take ownership and give it your own magnietic and powerful personality.
To help, Jimmy Niggles will be embarking on his own mission this winter to make this beard more valuable. Getting it endorsed by a celebrity, blessed by the Dalai Lama, assesed by the same people who insured J.Lo's ass and Keith Richard's middle finger, cross fertalised by other famous beards - whatever it takes. If you have any ideas or connections please send em through.
Kicking it all off, Jimmy got Richard Branson to trim the end off this never before trimmed beard to be turned into the #MillionDollarBeard brush. This will be used by some of Australia's finest artists to paint a series of works which will be auctioned off alongside a lot of donated items at the #MillionDollarBeard Ball after winter. Helping us raise the final ammount and ultimately - shaving the beard off in one piece and mounted in a glass case as an artwork.
Epic right?
Well... This is our year mates.
Let's summon the strength deep within your chin roots and work with the strength of a thousand lumberjack to make it happen. Together, we can outgrow melanoma.
It's time to #BeardWithPurpose.