SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Just in time for the holiday giving season, eBay, the world’s largest online marketplace, today announced the launch of eBay.com/celebrity, a unique shopping destination that combines celebrity experiences, memorabilia and merchandise with philanthropic causes. As part of eBay’s charitable platform eBay Giving Works, eBay Celebrity establishes a differentiated experience for the shopping enthusiast and cause-oriented consumer by aggregating relevant celebrity content, charity auctions, and the breadth and selection of related products that are unique to eBay.
“After Hurricane Katrina, many people said the New Orleans' Lower 9th Ward could not be rebuilt, but the spirit of the Lower 9th and its residents is vibrant and resilient. Today the neighborhood is growing and alive with new homes, playgrounds, gardens and block parties”
eBay has consistently been the platform of choice for celebrities looking to raise funds for charity, and this year was a landmark year for the company’s philanthropic efforts: an auction featuring limited edition Nike Mag sneakers raised millions of dollars for The Michael J. Fox Foundation and an annual lunch with Warren Buffet auction sold for a record $2.63 million. In 2011, eBay Giving Works has raised $51 million and over $278 million to date for various charitable organizations. eBay Celebrity takes charitable fundraising to the next level, connecting consumers with their favorite celebrities through charity and commerce.
In an effort to raise social consciousness and funds around causes, celebrities are collaborating with eBay to make a difference. eBay Celebrity will continue to offer exclusive charity auction items for consumers to get up close and personal with their favorite celebrities through the purchase of one-of-a-kind merchandise, concert tickets, and meet and greet opportunities. Consumers and pop culture enthusiasts will also be able to shop and give back in several ways including selling or shopping to support a cause, making a donation at checkout, donating directly through PayPal, and using the “shop like a star” feature which provides an inside look at featured celebrities’ favorite items. Celebrities themselves will interact with consumers through original content, video and message boards.
eBay Celebrity participants at launch include: Christina Aguilera, Jeff Bridges, Michael Cooper, Robert Duvall, Jimmie Johnson, Wladimir Klitschko, Sienna Miller, Hayden Panettiere, Katy Perry, Brad Pitt, Troy Polamalu, Tarina Tarantino, and Joe Walsh.
“Only eBay has the innovative technology and large portfolio of tools to combine celebrity, charity and commerce to engage consumers with the causes they care about most,” said Richelle Parham, Chief Marketing Officer, eBay North America. “We couldn’t think of a better time then during the holiday season to unveil eBay Celebrity, when giving back to a good cause is always a top consideration.”
The first round of charity auction items available on eBay Celebrity includes a chance to attend actor Brad Pitt’s “A Night to Make It Right” gala at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans on March 10. Consumers can bid on tickets to the event along with a personal meet and greet with Brad Pitt. Additional auction items that will become available throughout November include memorabilia from notable personalities such as Sienna Miller benefitting International Medical Corps, Jeff Bridges benefitting Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry Campaign™, Katy Perry benefitting the American Red Cross, Hayden Panettiere benefitting The Whaleman Foundation, and Tarina Tarantino benefitting Art of Elysium.
“After Hurricane Katrina, many people said the New Orleans' Lower 9th Ward could not be rebuilt, but the spirit of the Lower 9th and its residents is vibrant and resilient. Today the neighborhood is growing and alive with new homes, playgrounds, gardens and block parties,” said Brad Pitt, founder of Make It Right, a non-profit that builds sustainable homes in New Orleans' Lower 9th Ward and other disadvantaged communities. “With the help of supporters like eBay and their customers, Make It Right will fulfill our goal of building 150 sustainable homes for those in this community who lost everything in the storm.”
eBay Giving Works is an eight year-old program that offers convenient, trusted ways for eBay sellers and buyers to support their favorite nonprofits. eBay Giving Works is emblematic of the power of eBay: small, individual actions at scale that can drive an enormous amount of good in the world.
For more information, contact ebaymedia@edelman.com.
About eBay Inc.
Founded in 1995 in San Jose, Calif., eBay Inc. (NASDAQ:EBAY) is about enabling commerce. We do so through eBay, the world's largest online marketplace, which allows users to buy and sell in nearly every country on earth; through PayPal, which enables individuals and businesses to securely, easily and quickly send and receive online payments; and through GSI, which facilitates ecommerce, multichannel retailing and digital marketing for global enterprises. X.commerce brings together the technology assets and developer communities of eBay, PayPal and Magento, an ecommerce platform, to support eBay Inc.’s mission of enabling commerce. We also reach millions through specialized marketplaces such as StubHub, the world's largest ticket marketplace, and eBay classifieds sites, which together have a presence in more than 1,000 cities around the world. For more information about the company and its global portfolio of online brands, visit www.ebayinc.com.
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