Program to kick off in April 2025 and culminate at Advertising Week New York in October

NEW YORK, April 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- SixDegrees.org, the national nonprofit founded by actor and philanthropist Kevin Bacon, has partnered with Advertising Week, the premier platform for the global marketing, content, technology and media industries, to launch a new initiative - Purpose, Produced - matching six hand-selected non-profit organizations with creative agencies for the development of a complete advertising campaign at no cost.  

The innovative project will equip chosen nonprofits with resources usually only available to the world's largest brands and enable them to launch nationwide campaigns that amplify their messages and further their causes. The nonprofit organizations will receive a bespoke creative strategy, promotional materials and millions of dollars of media across TV, online, and billboards throughout America.

Kevin Bacon, actor and founder of SixDegrees.org, emphasized the importance of collaboration in driving social good. "This is about showing how creatives can lend their time and talents in a really concrete way to support nonprofits everywhere. We all have something that we can use to make a difference, and we hope to inspire others to get involved in their own way" he said.

You can watch Kevin Bacon introduce the campaign in this official video

To qualify for the competition, nonprofits must have programming that falls into at least one of SixDegrees.org's four pillars: youth empowerment, justice and equity, improving sustainable living environments, and emerging crisis response. Organizations must also operate with an annual budget of less than $3 million dollars.

Each agency was chosen by Advertising Week and SixDegrees.org for their creative abilities and focus on driving meaningful change and will be revealed later in the year.

Nonprofits interested in this unique opportunity should apply online through SixDegrees.org or AdvertisingWeek.com between April 23 and May 22. Advertising Week and SixDegrees.org will select a shortlist of 20 finalists, each receiving VIP passes to Advertising Week for their entire teams. Six winners will be chosen, with five selected by Advertising Week and SixDegrees.org, and the sixth determined through a public vote.

"This initiative is about rewriting the playbook on what's possible for small but mighty nonprofits, " says SixDegrees.org's Executive Director Stacy Huston. "With 'Purpose, Produced,' we're not just giving these organizations a seat at the table—we're putting their missions on center stage. Our goal is to prove that when creativity meets cause, impact multiplies."

The six selected nonprofits will work with their creative agencies starting in July and the final campaigns will be previewed at Advertising Week New York on October 6-9, 2025, where Kevin Bacon will be speaking about the initiative.

"We've always believed that storytelling is the heart of AWNewYork, but it only matters if we back those stories with action. Collaborating with Kevin Bacon and his team at SixDegrees.org has been an incredible way to illustrate exactly that," says Advertising Week's Global Vice President of Programming Michael Gewirtzman. "This isn't just about two organizations working together; it's a call to our entire industry to showcase what's possible when we invest time, creativity, and resources into something meaningful."

About Advertising Week

Advertising Week (AW), an Emerald company (https://www.emeraldx.com/), is the premier global event and thought leadership platform focused on marketing, media, technology, and culture. With a mission to inspire, educate, and connect the global marketing community, Advertising Week brings together leaders and innovators to discuss the future of marketing, technology and culture to drive creative, strategic change and growth across industries. Founded in 2004 in New York, AW's award-winning global event franchise includes: AWNewYork (NYC), AWEurope (London); AWAsia (Tokyo); AWLATAM (Mexico City) and more. As part of Emerald, the largest U.S.-based B2B event organizer, Advertising Week benefits from a powerful network of industry platforms and a shared commitment to delivering meaningful connections, influential content, and year-round growth opportunities.

About SixDegrees.org

Founded by Golden Globe-winning actor, musician, and philanthropist Kevin Bacon in 2007, SixDegrees.org is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit born out of the small world phenomenon that we are all connected by six degrees or less. Dedicated to harnessing kindness and connection, SixDegrees.org unites communities for collective impact by cultivating relationships and amplifying stories to foster dialogue, understanding, and empathy around causes that matter most. SixDegrees.org's programs include resource distribution through Building Kits by Kevin Bacon, causEvolve content production, Degree Shift convener campaigns, and transformative work to revitalize community spaces through Ruth's Room. Led by Executive Director Stacy Huston, SixDegrees.org focuses on four core pillars vital to our communities: youth empowerment, justice and equality, sustainable environments, and emergent issues. Nationally recognized for innovation and impact, SixDegrees.org has won an impressive tally of six Webby Awards, four Anthem Awards, seven Shorty Awards, and one Telly Award. Learn more at sixdegrees.org.

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SOURCE Advertising Week