GiveDirectly’s ‘You Will Die’ Halloween Campaign Pushes Tech Longevity Crowd to Create Wills

NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, October 26, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Global cash transfer charity GiveDirectly pokes fun at Silicon Valley biohackers and the AI industry in a new campaign encouraging young tech and business execs to create wills.

The New York-based charity worked with LA-based production house Bacon & Eggs, responsible for campaigns like AmberJack “Aaron Rodgers – Startup MVP” and ABC Fine Wine and Spirits “Dry January,” and actor Jonathan Stoddard to create the 90-second-long comedic ad featuring numerous familiar ways to live longer and look better that have woven their way into modern-day longevity culture, taken to the extreme in this video. It concludes with the protagonist’s untimely and unforeseeable death, acting as a reminder to the wider public that “no one lives forever” despite attempts to maximize health and wellness. The campaign, bluntly titled “You Will Die,” launched on October 26, 2026.

The social-first campaign took to the streets in New York and San Francisco last week in the buildup to launch, using digital billboard trucks and a subway advertisement to generate interest and spread the message in major tech hotspots. This comes ahead of the expected $3 trillion in wealth to be generated by the anticipated public listings of major AI companies Anthropic and OpenAI, among others.

The campaign seeks to build interest in legacy giving for the nonprofit, which directs money to people living in extreme poverty globally, with major program hubs in the U.S. and Africa. GiveDirectly has drawn interest from tech companies like Google, including a $150 million commitment from Sydney-based Canva. Since its founding in 2009, it has transferred $1 billion, with $500 million by the end of 2025.

“Other charities are afraid to mention death when they run campaigns to get people to add them to their will,” said Harris Roberts, Vice President of Marketing. “To us, that seemed silly given death is inevitable and instead of tiptoeing around the topic, “You Will Die” pokes fun at how much time people spend on their morning routines while procrastinating on spending 20 minutes to make a will.”

You Will Die simultaneously touches on a wider issue in the United States right now, with:
* 24% of Americans have a will, which is down from 33% in 2022.
* 30% of people who updated their will did so after a wealth increase, such as a raise, inheritance, or property.
* Annual bequests were at $62.2 billion in 2025, 10% of all U.S. charitable giving.
* 34% of 18–34s with a will say something they saw in the media or online prompted them.

The campaign runs through October 26th and continues through mid-November. Legacy giving, major donations, and employer donation matches are among the many ways to give available through GiveDirectly year-round. If you’d like to interview Harris Roberts to learn more about the campaign and GiveDirectly or access the media kit, please contact press@givedirectly.org.

About GiveDirectly
GiveDirectly is the first — and largest — nonprofit that lets donors send money directly to the world’s poorest. We believe people living in poverty deserve the dignity to choose for themselves how best to improve their lives — cash enables that choice. Founded in 2009, GiveDirectly has delivered over $160 million in cash directly into the hands of over 170,000 households living in poverty across the world. GiveDirectly has been ranked as a top international charity by GiveWell, received a 100% rating on Charity Navigator, and is recognized by FastCompany as one of the top 10 most innovative companies in the non-profit sector. To learn more, visit GiveDirectly.org.

Learn more about the campaign here.

Shamari White
GiveDirectly
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