Melanie C gives up iconic tracksuits to power annual Uber x Red Cross Clothing Drive via Poem

Uber has once again teamed up with Australian Red Cross and New Zealand Red Cross to launch the annual Clothing Drive with a new earned creative campaign developed by Poem and fronted by pop culture icon Melanie C.

This campaign was led by Poem driving strategy, creative, earned publicity and influencer, alongside EssenceMediaCom supporting with paid media, History Will Be Kind leading corporate earned publicity in Australia and Acumen managing earned publicity in New Zealand.

The campaign highlights how parting with quality pre-loved wardrobe pieces can feel rewarding. In the launch content, Melanie C finds herself surrounded by way too many tracksuits, from sporty classics to more unexpected takes, before opening up her personal fashion archive and choosing five memorable pieces to donate, including three tracksuits, a sequin suit and a little black Gucci dress, showing Australians and Kiwis that even the pieces most tied to our identity, memories and milestones can be ready for a second life.

The earned campaign leverages the pop star’s connection to fashion history to drive awareness for the one-day national clothing drive on Saturday, 17 October 2026. On the day, residents in Australia (Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney) and New Zealand (Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch) can book a free Courier delivery through the Uber or Uber Eats app to send pre-loved quality clothing directly to Australian and New Zealand Red Cross Shops.

Says Nicole Bardsley, Head of Marketing at Uber ANZ: “The Uber x Red Cross Clothing Drive has become one of our most impactful annual traditions, demonstrating how our technology can mobilise our community for good. Now in its eighth year in Australia and fourth year in New Zealand, the initiative continues to prove that making a tangible impact can be as effortless as opening an app. Having a global icon like Melanie C lead the charge brings incredible spice and scale to our core mission. It’s easily one of my favourite campaigns of the year, and working alongside iconic talent to empower Aussies and Kiwis to clear out their quality wardrobe pieces for a great cause makes it exceptionally special.”

Says Olivia Sykes, Uber’s Marketing Manager and Campaign Lead: “Building on our focus on quality over quantity, this year’s campaign taps into the emotional connection we have with our wardrobes. Parting with clothes you love should not feel like a chore, it can actually feel incredibly good. Melanie C is a true pop culture and fashion icon, and her generosity in opening up her personal archive brings genuine authenticity to this narrative. If Sporty Spice can hand over her most cherished wardrobe pieces to Red Cross Shops, we know Aussies and Kiwis will be inspired to look through their closets as well.”

Says Kira Reed, Director of Marketing, Communications and Customer Experience, Australia Red Cross: “Over the past eight years, our partnership with Uber has transformed how Australians give back, turning generosity into real, tangible support for communities in need. Having an international icon like Melanie C championing the drive reinforces a vital message: high-quality pre-loved fashion holds enormous power to do good. When people donate quality pieces, it reduces sorting time for our dedicated volunteers and helps us get those items onto Red Cross Shop floors faster. Every quality piece donated on 17 October directly raises vital funds for our humanitarian programs.”

Says Rowan Worner, Communications, Marketing and Philanthropy Director, New Zealand Red Cross: “The annual clothing drive is an initiative we look forward to every year. It’s incredible to have global pop star Melanie C leading the charge this year to remind everyone how good it feels to donate. She is leading by example by donating her own iconic pieces, which we are incredibly excited for New Zealanders to discover in their local Red Cross Shops. We see the quality of donations improve year after year, and we hope that with star power like Melanie C, even more people across generations will be inspired to look through their wardrobes and give their pre-loved items a new home on 17 October.”

Says Chelsea Wright, Strategy Director at Poem: “Every year we’ve asked Australians and Kiwis to donate their quality pieces. This year we wanted to show how good that feels. Melanie C’s tracksuits are some of the most recognisable looks in pop culture, so seeing her hand them over gives people permission to go through their own wardrobes and part with the good stuff. With a free Courier pickup from the front door, it’s never been easier to act on that feeling.”

The integrated earned campaign led by Poem spans strategy, creative, celebrity procurement, content production, influencer collaborations and publicity. The drive follows last year’s initiative, which collected almost 125,000kg of quality clothing in Australia and  64,000kg in New Zealand.

The Uber x Red Cross Clothing Drive takes place on Saturday, 17 October 2026, from 10am to 4pm local time in Australia (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, and Canberra) and New Zealand (Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch). Each donation can help support communities in need right across Australia, New Zealand and across the world. Donating quality, pre-loved and clean clothing can help contribute valuable funds to Red Cross’ humanitarian programs. These programs offer support where it’s needed every day of the year.

*Free delivery applies automatically to eligible Red Cross Clothing Drive bookings on 17 October 2026 between 10am and 4pm local time in participating cities. Max weight 20kg per package.

Client: Uber
Head of Marketing, ANZ: Nicole Bardsley
Senior Marketing Manager, ANZ: Olivia Sykes
Director of Communications, ANZ: Peta Fitzgerald
Senior Communications Manager, ANZ: Bonnie Ko
Creative Director, APAC: Adam Ledbury
Social Media Lead ANZ: Haley Evirgen

Partner: Australian Red Cross
Head of Retail: Richard Wood
Retail Operations Manager: Brooke Sclater
Director of Marketing, Communication and Customer Experience: Kira Reed
Head of Media and Communication: Lilly Ward
Senior Manager of Marketing, Communication and Customer Experience: Lucy Baynes
Social Media Senior Specialist: Julian Rizzo-Smith

Partner: New Zealand Red Cross
General Manager, Engagement and Enterprise: Shane Chisholm
Director, Communications, Marketing & Philanthropy: Rowan Worner
Communications Manager: Hanna Butler
Communications and Engagement Advisor: Netra Timilsina
Marketing Manager: Harpreet Singh
Commercial Marketing Advisor: Eleanor Morrison-Mills

Strategy, Creative, Publicity & Influencer: Poem
CEO: Rob Lowe
Executive Director, Strategy & Social: Alex Watts
Creative Director: Tom Manning
Strategy Director: Chelsea Wright
Senior Account Director: Alex Height
Account Director: Robbie Purcell
Senior Account Manager: Vanessa Chamoun
Social Creative: Angus Roberts
Junior Art Director: Ruby Clarke
Account Manager: Georgia Tiernan
Senior Account Executive: Iris Yuan

Production:
Talent: Melanie Chisholm
Director: MarySue Masson
Agency Producer (Poem): Hattie Morgan
Head of Production (Entropico): Evan Groll
Executive Producer (Entropico): Kyle Blanshard
Sr Producer (UK): Nordie Childs
Sr Producer (AU):  Shaye Guillory
Producer: Rachel Booth
1st AD: Andrew Vammick
Director of Photography: Matthew J. Smith
Melanie C’s Creative Director: Graham Cruz
Global Head of Marketing & Strategy, Various Artist Management: Rebecca Dixon
Day-To-Day Manager, Various Artist Management: Amelia Stott
1st AC: Stephanie Kennedy
2nd AC / Clapper Loader: Matt Hollis
Playback: Alex James-Saleh
Sound Op: Matt Buckley
DIT: Judy Tett
Gaffer: Massimo Filippi
Sound Recordist: Matt Buckley
Spark: Dylan Schultz-Soo
Spark: Maxence Ewers
Photographer: Edd Hoarder
Digi / 1st Assistant: Rory Ronnie
Lighting Assist: Rob Palmer
Art Director (remote): Hunter Sisters
Set Decorator: Poppy Riddell
Set Decorator Assistant: Elly Maddock
Hair: Ryan Steedman
Make Up: Bekki Mitchell
Nails: Karen Louise
Stylist: Emily Pirouet
Assistant Stylist: Savana Souter
Production Assistant / Runner: Jasmin Ellmer
Runner: Orlando Bryant
Melanie C’s Driver: Guy Anderson
Post Editor: Jos Eastwood

Media Agency: EssenceMediacom
Cordelia Ong: Implementation & Activation Associate Manager
Matt Leahy: Implementation & Activation Director
Olivia Riley: Assistant Brand Manager

Retail Agency: RX
Simon Porter Retail Experience Director
Gayathri Wijeskera Client Service Director

Publicity (Australia): History Will be Kind
Jack Hazeldine, Senior Account Director
Sarah Cefai, Senior Account Manager
Brooke Gascoigne, Account Manager
Laura Ford, Senior Account Executive
Juliet Rowley, Account Coordinator

Publicity (New Zealand): Acumen
Alysha Dingle, Executive Director, Acumen
Desmond Nash, Group Account Director, Acumen
Piper Byers, Senior Account Manager, Acumen
Sam Dahlberg, Account Manager, Acumen
Keeley James, Account Manager, Acumen

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