It’s the seventh annual Uber x Australian Red Cross Clothing Drive. An estimated 231 million pieces of clothing are gathering dust in Australian wardrobes (enough to fill approximately 139 swimming pools), so this year Australian pop star and swimming champion, Cody Simpson is fronting the campaign encouraging the donation of quality pre-loved clothes that are no longer worn.
Independent agency, Poem, managed strategy, creative and earned publicity, working with Hello Social on the influencer program, Essence MediaCom supporting with paid media, and History Will Be Kind leading corporate earned publicity.
At just 28, Simpson’s career has had mane eras., and many clothing collections – from teen idol to national swimmer, and now back to music – each chapter marked by its own distinct style.
The campaign taps into this journey with a 60-second hero film featuring Simpson sifting through his fashion archives, with pieces that once defined an era but no longer suit him. Rather than being discarded, these items become symbolic fashion, ready for a new chapter in someone else’s closet. Simpson makes it clear – donate it and give it a second life.
The 2025 campaign builds on last year’s message to focus on quality donations. This resonated strongly with generous donors; more than 80,000 kilograms of clothing collected. So the 2025 campaign reinforces the call to focus on quality donations.
Cody Simpson stated, “Like many people, I’ve explored different eras with my fashion throughout the years. Some of these outfits have been in music videos, while others were part of a very different kind of journey. The idea that someone else will now be able to wear them and give them a new life is what the Uber x Red Cross Clothing Drive is all about – letting go and giving back in the process.”
Head of marketing at Uber ANZ, Nicole Bardsley, added, “The Uber x Red Cross Clothing Drive has now
become an annual charity drive that Aussies look forward to taking part in. What began as a simple idea
of using our technology to make donating easier, has now become a nationwide moment where people
come together to give back in meaningful ways. This year, with Cody at the helm, we’re proud to see the
campaign continue to evolve creatively while staying true to its purpose: turning quality clothes we no
longer wear into impact for communities that need it most.”
Tom Manning, creative director, Poem Group, commented, “We all hang onto clothes from our previous
fashion eras for way too long. This year’s campaign nudged Aussies to let go and donate to the Clothing
Drive instead. Once we had Cody on board, an iconic Aussie whose career has spanned many distinct
chapters, we knew we had to play on his many ‘eras’, encouraging Australians to enter their own donation
era.”
The 2025 Uber x Red Cross Clothing Drive campaign featuring Cody Simpson launched on October 8
and will be supported by a strategic amplification plan across paid, owned and earned. The
launch film will be followed with shorter narratives, as well as social media.
