How Agencies Are Giving Back This Holiday Season

Agencies have their own unique ways of celebrating the holidays. Some show off their creative flair with quirky cards and gifts, while others give back to their communities and causes they care about.

Below, ADWEEK picks a few of our favorite festive give back initiatives among agencies that are celebrating the holidays this year by making donations and raising awareness for causes close to their hearts.

Klick Health, “Holiday Hugs”

When dozens of Klick Health team members said they wouldn’t be able to hug loved ones this festive season, the company turned to AI and other magic to orchestrate a series of sentimental, surprise reunions, captured in its “Holiday Hugs” video. The effort, benefitting the D.C.-based Foundation for Social Connection, parallels recent findings from a Maru/Blue Public Opinion survey commissioned by Klick that found 74% of North Americans won’t be able to hug at least one person they wish they could over the holidays.

Marcus Thomas, “The Carry On Menu“

Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina, putting many restaurant staff out of work. In an effort to help, independent agency Marcus Thomas has teamed up with chef Rocco Whalen to help patrons of his Fahrenheit restaurants give back. Diners will be presented with a special Carry On menu filled with signature dishes from western North Carolina eateries that were destroyed by Hurricane Helene. While they can’t buy the food, they can scan a QR code to purchase a symbolic carryout order that donates directly to the North Carolina Hospitality Workers Relief Fund.

Real Chemistry, “What’s Your Type”

Every year between Christmas and New Year’s Day, there’s a 7,000-unit shortfall in blood donations. Real Chemistry is out to change this with “What’s Your Type?” a campaign that uses gamification to drive blood donations. The effort is designed to engage the next generation of blood donors through a nine-question personality quiz that reveals their strengths, based on their blood type. 

Allen & Gerritsen, “Amperspam”

While many of us are fed up with holiday spam, agency A&G wants to give a little more. The agency has created a typeface carved from Spam that people can buy, for $12, with proceeds going to food charities in Boston and Philadelphia. The agency turned the pre-cooked canned meat into an alphabet anyone can use online and captured the behind-the-scenes creative process on film. The “salted, cured typography” is the star of an email and social media campaign that guides people to a useful website.

Quality Experience, No Kid Hungry fundraiser

New creative agency Quality Experience (QX) is a “work from anywhere” shop. Its unassuming holiday card announces that it is redirecting funds saved on office snacks to No Kid Hungry. The copy, which went out on LinkedIn, calls to action other remote agencies that do not need to stock snack kitchens, to consider doing the same.

Rain the Growth Agency, “Playing Our Part”

This year, Oregon-based Rain the Growth Agency is donating to the Women’s Sports Foundation, a nonprofit that empowers and provides access to sports for young women athletes. Check out the video here, where members of the agency share their success stories on how sports have made a positive impact that extends to all areas of their life.

PMG, “Canstruction”

For its annual Gives Back initiative, PMG hosted “Canstruction,” a food drive/competition where each of its offices donates cans of food to build a structure, with all proceeds going to local food banks. PMG almost doubled its goal this year, donating over 10,000 cans to food pantries across the U.S. and the U.K. The winner was Fort Worth, with London taking second and Austin taking third place.

R/GA, “Accept Cookies”

R/GA’s effort nods to everyone’s favorite digital dilemma: accepting cookies online. In a video of someone relentlessly clicking “Accept Cookies” on every website imaginable, the camera pulls back to reveal Santa at the keyboard. With a wink, he takes a bite of a real cookie, and the screen delivers the message: “May all your cookies be accepted by customers this holiday season.” As the video ends, a pop-up window appears on-screen, inviting the recipient to “accept cookies” to receive actual cookies delivered straight to their door, as well as to make a donation to Sesame Workshop.