Microsoft runs Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) pro-bono media campaign launching the SU2C Up2 You + Me video.February 4, 2010 – Microsoft is supporting Stand Up To Cancer by providing a pro-bono media campaign which premieres on World Cancer Day and runs for one month (February 4, 2010 – March 8, 2010) on Xbox LIVE®, MSN Games and within a number of Xbox game titles. The campaign brings awareness to SU2C and also launches SU2C’s Up2 You + Me Video featuring Jim Parsons of the hit TV show The Big Bang Theory.
The Up2 You + Me Video was directed by Jesse Selwyn with the song written and performed by Zach Selwyn. The new call to action video is designed to appeal to people of all ages, with a particular emphasis on engaging younger audiences in the effort to “make the whole world cancer free.” Parsons at his comedic best playing 30 characters, requiring 30 costume changes, which were all in keeping with the funny song lyrics. People will also be able to see the video on standup2cancer.org.
“In writing the song, we wanted to communicate a serious and important message in a fun and light-hearted way,” said songwriter Zach Selwyn. “It was a thrill to work with Jim who weathered through 30 costume changes in a 12 hour day and never lost his spirit. We hope our fellow gamers will be inspired to join SU2C in the fight against cancer.” The campaign also encourages users to support SU2C by texting, calling and visiting the organization’s website to donate. In addition, Xbox LIVE members are able to download the SU2C theme and gamer pics to show their support for the cause through the Xbox LIVE community.
In supporting SU2C through this pro-bono effort, Microsoft is engaging millions of Xbox LIVE members in the United States by connecting and involving them in the campaign to help raise awareness for SU2C.
About Stand Up To Cancer
The Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) movement raises funds to hasten the pace of groundbreaking translational research that can get new therapies to patients quickly and save lives. SU2C is a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF) and was founded by a group of media, entertainment and philanthropic leaders whose lives have been affected by cancer in significant ways. The group includes Laura Ziskin, executive producer of Stand Up To Cancer’s historic September 5, 2008 telecast that aired simultaneously on ABC, CBS and NBC, and a cancer survivor; the Entertainment Industry Foundation, represented by Board of Directors Chairperson Sherry Lansing (Founder of the Sherry Lansing Foundation), CEO Lisa Paulsen and Vice President Kathleen Lobb; Katie Couric; Rusty Robertson and Sue Schwartz of the Robertson Schwartz Agency; Noreen Fraser, founder of the Noreen Fraser Foundation and a cancer survivor; nonprofit executive Ellen Ziffren. Diane Balma is Stand Up To Cancer’s Executive Director.
Founded in May, 2008, Stand Up To Cancer has raised more than $100 million, and provided funding to five Dream Teams comprised of over 200 exemplary scientists whose projects aim to produce results benefiting patients within the grants’ three-year term, as well as 13 young investigators whose innovative, “high risk/high reward” research would not likely receive funding from conventional sources. The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) is Stand Up To Cancer’s partner, and is responsible for administering the grants, and—in conjunction with the SU2C Scientific Advisory Committee, led by Nobel Laureate Phillip A. Sharp, Ph.D., Institute Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and David H. Koch Institute at MIT—providing scientific oversight.
Major League Baseball was the lead donor to contribute to Stand Up To Cancer, and Sidney Kimmel, the country’s largest individual supporter of cancer research, pledged $25 million during last year’s telecast. Other major SU2C supporters include Amgen, AARP, Bloomberg Philanthropies, GlaxoSmithKline, Revlon, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Wallis Annenberg & The Annenberg Foundation, Alliance for Global Good, Milken Family Foundation, Philips Electronics, Steve Tisch, MasterCard Worldwide and many others. In addition to ABC, CBS and NBC, SU2C major media partners include AOL, Condé Nast Media Group, eBay Inc., Facebook, Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S., Hearst Corporation, Los Angeles Times, Meredith Corporation, The New York Times Company, Time Inc, and WebMD.
Press Contacts:
Sheri Goldberg (212) 334-0333