Razoo Survey Reveals Top Charity Influencer is the First Lady, Not a Celebrity

Americans are twelve times more likely to donate to a charity endorsed by Michelle Obama than by a famous actor or singer

SAN FRANCISCO & WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Razoo.com, the fastest growing crowdfunding platform for causes, today announced survey findings that Americans are 12 times more likely to donate to First Lady Michelle Obama’s charities over causes endorsed by major entertainment celebrities. Of the 2,059 adults aged 18 and older surveyed online by Harris Interactive on behalf of Razoo in November 2012, 65% say that they would not donate to any celebrity’s causes.

“One certainly doesn’t have to be a celebrity to make a difference. Anyone can make a difference by giving either their money, time, or influence.”

For those who may be looking to the famous for charity choices, Michelle Obama ranked highest out of a given list of public figures as the celebrity’s cause to which Americans would most likely donate (12%). Against superstar Alicia Keys, U.N. Ambassador Angelina Jolie and media mogul Oprah Winfrey – Mrs. Obama wields more influence to motivate charitable donations.

Americans are more likely to give to Mrs. Obama’s charities over causes endorsed by the following:

• 3 times more likely than Oprah Winfrey (4%)
• 4 times more likely than Taylor Swift (3%)
• 6 times more likely than Angelina Jolie or Alicia Keys (both 2%)
• 12 times more likely than Justin Bieber (1%)

“We applaud everyone, whether you’re famous or not, who stands up for the causes they care about,” said Lesley Mansford, CEO of Razoo. “One certainly doesn’t have to be a celebrity to make a difference. Anyone can make a difference by giving either their money, time, or influence.”

Alicia Keys, Taylor Swift, and Justin Bieber were the top singers chosen behind Mrs. Obama and all three powerhouses are GRAMMY® Award winners. In honor of this year’s 55^th GRAMMY Awards®, you can find the following charities endorsed by Keys, Swift, and Bieber on razoo.com:

• Alicia Keys - Keep a Child Alive, provides life-saving services for children and families affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa and India
• Taylor Swift – DoSomething.org, provides resources to teens to make a difference in their communities through social change
• Justin Bieber – It Gets Better Project, shows teenagers in the LBGT community that they are not alone – and it WILL get better

Razoo makes it easy to donate to your favorite charity or any charity endorsed by an admired public figure. With over 1 million nonprofits, Razoo offers a wide range of causes and charities to choose from. Razoo also allows individuals to set up their own fundraiser for their favorite cause.

Survey Methodology

This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of Razoo from November 8-12, 2012 among 2,059 adults ages 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

For complete survey methodology, including raw data and weighting variables, please contact Deanna Siste at [e-mail] or 415-442-4020.

About Razoo

Razoo is a venture funded social enterprise committed to transforming people’s lives through meaningful giving. Its online platform facilitates crowdsourced fundraising for individuals and nonprofits. Razoo is also the leader in community giving days, whose platform has enabled the raising of millions of dollars for local communities around the country. With offices in San Francisco and Washington, DC, Razoo is seed funded by the Legatum Group. The name Razoo is of Australian and New Zealand origin. It refers to a coin of little value: when combined, these small contributions make a huge difference. For more information on Razoo, go to www.razoo.com; follow us on Twitter at @Razoo, or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/razoogiving.