#BaconToPayson and ‘Six Degrees with Kevin Bacon’ celebrated at 9th annual Shorty Impact Awards
SixDegrees.org has been named a 9th Annual Shorty Impact Awards Winner and Gold Honoree. The collaborative Bacon to Payson campaign was named overall winner in the Local Campaign category, and the chart-topping “Six Degrees with Kevin Bacon” podcast earned a Gold honor in the Podcast category.
SixDegrees.org launched the Bacon to Payson campaign to celebrate the 40th anniversary of “Footloose” and support the students of Utah’s Payson High School who campaigned for Kevin Bacon to visit their town before their school, featured in the film, was torn down. The grassroots initiative aimed to rally public support, amplify student voices, and raise funds for four Utah-based nonprofits. Through a blend of digital and traditional media, the campaign secured over 191 million media impressions and raised $1.1 million in in-kind donations. Key partners including Bombas, BetterHelp, and Nu Skin contributed to the success of the initiative, culminating in the distribution of 5,000 essential resource kits to youth in Utah, Colorado, and Nevada.
The campaign’s grassroots approach, led by Payson High School students, combined nostalgia for the iconic film with a call to action for social change. Students created viral content on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, which garnered local and national media attention. This momentum helped secure Bacon’s visit to Payson and mobilized over 1,000 volunteers to assemble and distribute care kits containing hygiene items, shelf-stable snacks, books, three months of free counseling, and more. The overwhelming media response highlighted the campaign's success, with notable coverage on national TV programs and leading publications. By focusing on community-driven activism, the campaign not only honored the legacy of “Footloose,” but it also made a tangible impact on youth in need.
"Six Degrees with Kevin Bacon" leveraged the star power of Kevin Bacon to spotlight global humanitarian causes and the unsung heroes driving positive change in their communities. The podcast’s primary goal was to engage listeners by blending celebrity appeal with powerful storytelling, highlighting inspiring social impact stories while driving real-world action. Featuring celebrity guests alongside on-the-ground changemakers, each episode provided compelling narratives and actionable calls to support various causes. With promotional efforts across platforms like iHeart Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and social media, the podcast garnered widespread attention, generating nearly 751,000 downloads in its first season and reaching an additional 4.6 million people through social media engagement.
The podcast's success was underscored by its high listener engagement, achieving a #1 rank in the nonprofit category and breaking into the overall top 20 charts globally. It also received notable recognition, including an Anthem Award and two Webby Awards, and was featured as one of the top podcasts to listen to by Kate Couric Media. The show’s unique format, which combined celebrity influence with grassroots activism, resulted in tangible social impact, as listeners mobilized to donate, volunteer, and engage with the organizations featured. Through its emotional storytelling and strategic promotion, "Six Degrees with Kevin Bacon" successfully inspired behavioral change and made a lasting difference in the global humanitarian landscape.
“Being shortlisted for a Shorty Impact Award reflects not just creativity but a commitment to drive meaningful impact,” said Junmian Sun, Managing Director of the Shorty Awards. Winners are selected by the Real Time Academy, including industry leaders from notable brands and organizations like Bumble, Liquid Death, Meta, Netflix, Digitas, Lenovo, Edelman, LinkedIn and more.
About SixDegrees.org
SixDegrees.Org is a 501c3 that was launched in 2007 by Golden Globe Winning Actor, Musician, and Philanthropist, Kevin Bacon. It was born out of the small world phenomenon that we are all connected to one another by six degrees or less. With a mission rooted in connecting people to necessary resources, SixDegrees is dedicated to creating dialogue and raising awareness, understanding, and empathy around causes that our communities care most about. SixDegrees programs include BKxKB resource bags, content production for social good amplification, and campaign activations. Led by Executive Director Stacy Huston, SixDegrees.Org centers its efforts on core areas of focus: Youth Empowerment, Equality and Justice, Sustainability, and emergent issues that are vital to our communities. The organization’s remarkable achievements include winning an impressive tally of 4 Anthem Awards, 7 Shorty Awards, a Telly Award, and 6 Webby Awards.
About the Shorty Awards
The Shorty Awards (also known as “The Shortys”) honors the most innovative work in digital and social media by brands, agencies, and organizations.
Founded in 2008, the Shortys’ notable previous winners include Malala Yousafzai, Trevor Noah, Michelle Obama, Conan O’Brien, Lady Gaga, Lizzo, and brands such as MTV Entertainment Studios & Paramount, Digitas, HBO, Meta, Airbnb, Honda, UNICEF and PepsiCo.
The Shortys’ mission is to celebrate, inspire, and push the boundaries of excellence in digital storytelling. Entries are judged on the merits of creativity, strategy, and engagement by the Real Time Academy, a body of hand-selected industry experts and leaders. The public can also weigh in and select their favorite Shorty Awards contenders during Audience Honor Voting.
Currently, the Shortys have two annual competitions, the flagship Shorty Awards and Shorty Impact Awards dedicated to honoring the best work with a positive social impact.