Daniel
Westgate

Opportunity

The Canadian Red Cross needed to engage a younger audience who were less responsive to traditional fundraising approaches.

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Existing efforts relied on passive donation models, with limited ongoing engagement or cultural relevance for younger demographics.

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Insight

Younger audiences don’t just want to donate—they want to:

• Participate

• Compete

• Share experiences socially

 

Gaming already had the behavior the Red Cross needed:
👉 engagement, community, and repeat interaction

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The opportunity was to turn fundraising into an active, social experience.

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System / Platform

Created Cross/Play—a Twitch-based fundraising platform that transformed gaming into a continuous engagement and donation ecosystem.

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Key components:

1. Participation Platform (not just a campaign)

• Built a system where users could fundraise by streaming and playing

• Designed for ongoing engagement rather than one-time activation

2. Gaming + Fundraising Integration

• Connected gameplay with donation mechanics

• Enabled players and audiences to contribute in real time

3. Identity & Brand System

• Developed a distinct sub-brand within the Red Cross ecosystem

• Made the initiative feel native to gaming culture, not institutional

4. Community & Competition Layer

• Encouraged repeat participation through social dynamics and recognition

• Designed for shareability and peer-driven growth

5. Digital Experience (UI/UX)

• Created a cohesive visual and interaction system for the platform

• Ensured usability across streaming and participation touchpoints

6. Physical Engagement Layer (Merch & Rewards)

• Extended the experience beyond digital with branded merchandise

• Reinforced identity and incentivized participation for top contributors

 

Scalability & Growth Model

• Designed as a repeatable platform that could run beyond a single campaign window

• Enabled expansion across new audiences, games, and fundraising initiatives

• Built to grow through community participation rather than paid media alone

 

AI & Future Potential

• AI-driven content creation for streamers and community assets

• Personalized engagement journeys based on player behavior

• Dynamic reward systems tied to participation and donation patterns

 

Outcome

• Reframed fundraising as an interactive, community-driven experience

• Successfully engaged a younger demographic through culturally relevant behavior

• Created a scalable model for participation-based fundraising

• Extended the Red Cross brand into new digital ecosystems