Tony, Andy and Tami jumping in Luminary t-shirts in front of the Yarra river

Two agencies, one wager and $15,737 raised for Fred Hollows

In August 2022, we took on competitor digital agency Revium in a quest to see who could cover the most ground for Fred Hollows' annual fundraiser, Fred's Big Run. Only one agency could emerge victorious but the real winners were the 633 people who can now have their sight restored as a result of the agencies' combined efforts.

Claire Dunton
Claire Dunton

19 September 2022

3 minute read

2022 marked the third year that Luminary laced up, hit the streets and took on Fred’s Big Run. The Fred’s Big Run campaign is a virtual challenge led by Luminary client, Fred Hollows Foundation, where individuals and teams clock up km’s throughout August with the mission of restoring sight to as many people as possible while staying active. 

Each year of Fred’s Big Run has brought a new competitive hurdle for the Luminary participants, with the team covering distances across different states, while also challenging clients and competitors on a unified goal to restore sight and raise funds for the Fred Hollows Foundation. 

2022 – steep inclines, steeper stakes 

Fred’s Big Run in 2022 started out as most great stories do; banter among friends. 

Ever the fearless leader, Luminary CEO, Marty Drill, decided to up the ante, by challenging Revium agency MD (Adam Barty) to see which team could cover the furthest distance throughout August. Competitors in industry and now out on the bitumen, it was decided that the losing team would have to wear a branded t-shirt of the winning agency for a whole week, including client meetings. A wager was struck and agency leaders were more motivated than ever to get their teams up and out the door on 1 August. 

Heart rates spiked and sweats were broken, but it was Revium that ultimately claimed the W after covering 4173km over Luminary’s 3640km. While Luminary missed catching up on distance, the team raised more money than Revium, achieving more than $10,000 of the combined $15,737 total. Luminary also ranked 5th on the Fred’s Big Run leaderboard out of the 380 registered teams and it was the most successful Fred’s Big Run result for Luminary to date, restoring sight to 407 people. 

Safe to say, there is an ironed and ready Luminary t-shirt ready to make its way to Revium following the 2023 Fred’s Big Run, and we reckon there might be another agency or two already training to get in on this high-stakes competition! As for Luminary CEO, Marty Drill – who will be donning a Revium t-shirt on a fateful day in September – there has never been a walk of shame for a more worthy cause.

For those who haven’t followed Luminary around the country for this annual event, here’s what previous Fred’s Big Run challenges have held... 

2020: Tour de Vic 

During the inaugural Fred’s Big Run of 2020, the Luminary team were taken north, south, east and west to regional Victoria on a virtual exploration of some of the hardest-hit destinations during Melbourne's lockdowns. Each week, the team learnt about these destinations' icons, history and soul, with our Luminary tour guides closing in on nearly 2000km of distance during the month of August. With the fires of 2020 still fresh in the minds of our participants, Tour de Vic was both a reflective and informative adventure. 

2021: Luminary v Fred Hollows

Dizzy from the success and endorphins of 2020’s Fred’s Big Run, Luminary challenged Fred Hollows Foundation at their own game in 2021 to a virtual race from the Fred Hollows Foundation office in Sydney to Bourke in outback New South Wales, and then south to Luminary’s office in Melbourne. Bourke was the final resting place of Fred Hollows when he passed in 1993, claiming the area to be “the closest bit of ‘real Australia’”. 

Pelican play equipment in park
Andy standing in front of a street sign
Tony's 'Kangaroo' Strava art

To keep spirits high throughout the month, there were mini-challenges that included animal spotting, street name bingo and Strava art challenges. Our Luminary creatives not only met the challenge, but often reimagined the challenge altogether. A new stationary species of pelican was discovered in the 'wildlife' photography challenge, and Luminary’s resident Forrest Gump, Tony Duan, brought a whole new meaning to illustration when he carved up the Melbourne streets in an ambitious attempt to create a kangaroo shape… which took on a prehistoric look (read: T-Rex).

A designer's mock-up of Marty in a Revium t-shirt

Artist's representation of Marty in a Revium t-shirt (at the time of writing we were still awaiting delivery of said item...)

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