Annual campaign seeking to raise over $4 million to fight cancer in the U.S. and Canada launches at the Home Run Derby in Cincinnati Purchase, NY and Toronto, ON (July 13, 2015) – Call your family and text your friends because it’s time to get together for lunch, brunch, dinner—any meal at all—and raise money for an important cause. For the fifth consecutive year, MasterCard is collaborating with Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) in the U.S. and inviting cardholders to give back through the simple act of dining out. For the first time, the dining program will also support SU2C Canada.
Beginning today, when cardholders spend $10 or more when dining out or ordering in and choose to pay with their MasterCard through September 15, 2015, MasterCard will make a donation to SU2C or SU2C Canada, one precious cent at a time, up to a total of $4MM in the U.S. and $250,000 CDN in Canada.* For those using the latest contactless payment options in the U.S. such as Apple Pay, the easy, secure and private way to pay, MasterCard will double the donation.
“With the support of our cardholders, we have succeeded in raising $26 million over the past four years to further critical research to help fight cancer,” says Raja Rajamannar, chief marketing officer, MasterCard. “This year, we are not only expanding the program to Canada to drive a greater impact, but creating exceptional dining experiences—through the Priceless Tables—to further raise awareness and harness the power of bringing people together to support a Priceless Cause.”
This year’s U.S. campaign builds on last year’s Priceless Table, which elevated diners to new heights with a celebrity chef-prepared meal on a table 25 feet above Times Square in New York City. This summer, MasterCard will bring the Priceless Table to cities across the U.S., delivering memorable dining experiences in unique locations in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco. The 2015 inaugural Priceless Table will put diners in the middle of the action during the Gillette Home Run Derby presented by Head & Shoulders on July 13 at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. For the first time ever, MasterCard will transform the centerfield bullpen into a spectacular dining venue, catered by celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson, for a local family affected by cancer. The Home Run Derby airs live on ESPN beginning at 8:00 pm ET.
MasterCard cardholders who want to have a one-of-a-kind dining experience at the Priceless Tables can make reservations on select dates throughout the summer by visiting http://www.priceless.com/causes. These dinners will be prepared by renowned chefs and held at exclusive locations in the following U.S. cities:
New York:
• Be one of the few to enjoy a meal with skyline views of New York City in Carnegie Hall’s Joan and Sanford I. Weill Terrace Room.
Chicago:
• Have dinner at the top of the world at 360 Chicago, on the 94th floor of the John Hancock Center.
• Dine next to the world’s largest and most complete Tyrannosaurus rex, SUE, at a spectacular table in Chicago at The Field Museum.
• At The Auditorium Theater, experience a world-class dinner on the stage that’s seen it all.
Los Angeles:
• Right on the field at Dodger Stadium, dine at a one-of-a-kind table and have a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
• Experience a quintessential Hollywood night at Paramount Pictures Studios with a dinner menu reflecting the movies produced by the Studio.
San Francisco:
• Dine under the Dome at Westfield San Francisco Centre at a unique event celebrating SU2C scientists, cancer survivors, and MasterCard cardholders.
The program will be supported in the U.S. with a robust media plan including new 30 second and 60 second TV spots with the message that no one should have to stand alone in the fight against cancer. MasterCard hopes to inspire people to create a dedication and share who they #StandUp4 via their social network. In Canada, the dining program will be promoted with an integrated media plan which includes radio, outdoor and digital.
“Our collaboration with MasterCard demonstrates the incredible impact we can have when we unite for a powerful cause,” said Stand Up To Cancer co-founder Rusty Robertson. “The simple act of friends and families getting together to dine out has provided millions of dollars in critical funding to support our mission to make everyone diagnosed with cancer a survivor.”
The donations driven by MasterCard’s generous cardholders have helped provide support for translational cancer research conducted in the Stand Up To Cancer model. For more information, visit http://www.priceless.com/causes.
About MasterCard
MasterCard, www.mastercard.com, is a technology company in the global payments industry. We operate the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard’s products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews, join the discussion on the Beyond the Transaction Blog and subscribe for the latest news on the Engagement Bureau.
About the Stand Up To Cancer Initiative
Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) raises funds to accelerate the pace of research to get new therapies to patients quickly and save lives now. SU2C, a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, was established in the United States in 2008 by film and media leaders who utilize the industry’s resources to engage the public in supporting a new, collaborative model of cancer research, and to increase awareness about cancer prevention as well as progress being made in the fight against the disease. As SU2C’s scientific partner, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and a Scientific Advisory Committee led by Nobel Laureate Phillip A. Sharp, PhD, conduct rigorous, competitive review processes to identify the best research proposals to recommend for funding, oversee grants administration, and provide expert review of research progress.
For more information about Stand Up To Cancer, visit: http://www.standup2cancer.org.
About EIF Canada / Stand Up To Cancer Canada
EIF Canada, a Canadian registered charity (Reg. # 80550 6730 RR0001), founded by the U.S.-based Entertainment Industry Foundation, was established to conduct charitable programs in Canada addressing health and other issues. Stand Up To Cancer Canada (SU2C Canada) is a program of EIF Canada that raises funds to support collaborative research teams, as well as education and awareness programs conducted in Canada.
Organizations collaborating with the SU2C Canada initiative include the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, with support from CIBC; the Cancer Stem Cell Consortium, with funding from Genome Canada and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research; the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research; and The Hospital for Sick Children Foundation (SickKids). MasterCard and AstraZeneca are the first Canadian corporate supporters of SU2C Canada.
For more information on Stand Up To Cancer Canada, visit http://www.standup2cancer.ca.
About Stand Up to Cancer & MLB
Major League Baseball and its 30 Clubs are the founding partners of SU2C and a lead donor since 2008, committing nearly $40 million to date. As the initiative’s founding donor, MLB has collaborated with Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) on significant awareness-building efforts, including public service announcements, in-stadium promotion and fundraising events, and has dedicated one World Series game to the initiative for each of the past three years.
*In the U.S.: One cent donation applies to qualifying restaurant purchases and $.02 for each MasterCard Contactless transaction made at a Contactless-enabled restaurant made with a U.S. MasterCard. Promotion ends on Sept. 15, 2015 or at our $4 million goal, whichever comes first. PIN and International transactions ineligible.
In Canada: MasterCard Canada will donate $.01 to Stand Up To Cancer Canada for each qualifying restaurant purchase of $10 and over made using your MasterCard. Ends September 15, 2015, or when we reach our donation goal of $250,000, whichever comes first. International transactions ineligible. Stand Up To Cancer Canada is a program of EIF Canada, a registered charity (Reg. #80550 6730 RR0001). Stand Up To Cancer Brand Marks are trademarks for the Entertainment Industry Foundation.
###Media Contact:
Robyn Cottelli
MasterCard
914.249.1347
robyn_cottelli@mastercard.com
Angee Jenkins
Stand Up To Cancer
310.395.6622