Love them or loathe them, you’d be hard-pressed to find an Aussie who hasn’t seen or heard about the famous upside-down chins that have personified Australia’s most iconic fundraising campaign – the World’s Greatest Shave.
The glorious and sometimes wacky chins, have graced our TV screens, billboards, and newspapers, embodying well-known local and global celebrities and cult figures.
From Arnold Schwarzenegger’s ‘I’ll be back,’ Bruce McAvaney’s commentating, and ‘Brangelina’s Instachin’, to Chef Manu Feidel lending his ‘magnifique’ chin to the cause in 2016, there have been a large cast of other aspiring and lovable characters.
One of Australia’s favourites was no doubt 5x gold Chinnie award-winning CHNN anchor ‘Bon Rurgundy,’ who, in 2017 helped the Leukaemia Foundation broadcast important updates about World’s Greatest Shave.
But while we enjoy that trip down ‘chinny lane’…that’s all about to change today with the launch of a new era of World’s Greatest Shave.
“The World’s Greatest Shave, as Australians have known it for the past 15 years, is officially bidding farewell to the upside-down chins,” said Chris Tanti, CEO, Leukaemia Foundation.
“This moment in time, marks the end of an era as we sadly say goodbye to the lovable chins, whilst welcoming the dawn of a new, vibrant, bold, contemporary, and more personal campaign to support the growing number of Australians impacted by blood cancer.”
Mr Tanti added that the World’s Greatest Shave is going back to its roots and bringing the Australian community along for the ride with its new slogan, ‘That’s Bloody Beautiful,’ and by featuring real human participants in its advertising and creative direction.
“The new look World’s Greatest Shave celebrates the everyday heroes in our community doing ‘bloody beautiful’ acts of shaving, cutting, colouring, or donating, while helping to make the world less lonely, scary, and difficult for blood cancer patients.
“Every single strand of hair that Australians change this World’s Greatest Shave, whether they chose to shave, cut, or colour, is going to help champion change for the 140,000 Australians living with blood cancer today.”
The World’s Greatest Shave was sadly not immune to the devastating impact of Covid which created the most formidable challenge the campaign has ever faced in its 26-year history.
“When Covid hit, the World’s Greatest Shave which united people in homes, schools, pubs, and clubs across the country suddenly transformed to participants shaving, cutting, and colouring their hair behind closed doors and on digital platforms.
“As a result, our beloved community events were cancelled, and our fundraising took a significant hit impacting the work and support the Leukaemia Foundation provides for the growing number of people in Australia living with blood cancer.
“But we have an ambitious vision – a future where no life is lost to blood cancer – and to achieve this, the new era of World’s Greatest Shave will bring communities back together, and further reflect the deeply personal nature of the campaign,” said Mr Tanti.
According to the Leukaemia Foundation, there are more people diagnosed with blood cancer now than ever before, underscoring the urgent need for increased support, additional resources, and ultimately more funds needed to assist the growing number of Australians impacted.
Mr Tanti added: “With the incidence of blood cancer soaring 47% in the past decade, funds raised through World’s Greatest Shave go towards providing vital support for the 53 Australians diagnosed with the disease each day[i], as well as funding life-changing blood cancer research.”
Since 2000, the Leukaemia Foundation has funded over 360 blood cancer research grants, representing over $86.5 million in blood cancer research funding in today’s current dollar value.
The funding is helping to make significant strides into finding better and more targeted treatment options for Australians living with blood cancer, with the hope of one day finding a cure.
Around 20,000 people sign up to participate in World’s Greatest Shave each year, and more than two million Australians have sacrificed their hair, or donated to someone who has over the past 25 years.
To be counted in the fight against blood cancer you can register to participate in the World’s Greatest Shave at worldsgreatestshave.com or call 1800 500 088.
Likewise, to see the new World’s Greatest Shave campaign in all its bold, bright and ‘bloody beautiful’ glory, go to worldsgreatestshave.com.
#WorldsGreatestShave #ThatsBloodyBeautiful #YouLittleBeauty
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World's Greatest Shave images and video content available here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/3l9r2evwp8knvzoxsivhq/h?rlkey=muxil6fa5qbkuc8ne733qtxmm&dl=0
Enjoy a trip down ‘chinny lane’ featuring past World’s Greatest Shave ads:
- World’s Greatest Shave 2007
- World’s Greatest Shave 2008
- World’s Greatest Shave 2009
- World’s Greatest Shave 2010
- World’s Greatest Shave 2012
- World’s Greatest Shave 2013
- World’s Greatest Shave 2014
- World’s Greatest Shave 2014 – Bruce McAvaney
- World’s Greatest Shave 2015
- World’s Greatest Shave 2016
- World’s Greatest Shave 2017
- World’s Greatest Shave 2019
- World’s Greatest Shave 2020
- World’s Greatest Shave 2022
- World’s Greatest Shave 2023
- World’s Greatest Shave 2024
*Please note - we will endeavour to find a suitable person in your area or a close radius, however with blood cancer patients and World's Greatest Shave participants spread across the country, this may not always be possible.
About us:
About the Leukaemia Foundation: The Leukaemia Foundation stands with Australia to help cure and conquer blood cancer – with care. Together we are attacking every blood cancer, from every direction, in every way we can. We stand beside every Australian to be their voice and their someone to turn to, fighting to get them access to the best care. We also accelerate research that is delivering rapid advancements in blood cancer diagnosis and treatments. Plus, we provide services and support that empower people living with any blood cancer to live well after diagnosis. You can learn more about the Leukaemia Foundation and blood cancer at leukaemia.org.au.
Contact details:
Please contact the Leukaemia Foundation media team for all interviews at media@leukaemia.org.au or call 0473 154 079.