Both were masterminded by Irish pop musician Bob Geldof.
The Band Aid single "Do They Know It’s Christmas?", involving over 40 pop singers, was recorded and released in the winter of 1984. It was accompanied by distinctive record sleeve artwork by British pop artist Peter Blake, and the motto "Feed the World" appeared on posters, in the press and on t-shirts. Band Aid produced over £10 million for Ethiopian famine relief.

It was followed in July of 1985 by a partner event, Live Aid: an all day global concert for famine relief, which took place simultaneously in London and Philadelphia. Most notably, the concert was broadcast to 152 countries by the largest satellite link-up ever, an extraordinarily ambitious undertaking even by today’s standards, and especially in the age of pre-digital technology. Its legacy was a belief in global commitment, the power of rock music and the possibilities of mass communications media to unite the world in a common cause. Plus a new, young generation was called to action and involvement.

Live Aid paved the way for many other "big ideas" that have attempted a global reach over the years. This includes more recent projects such as Jubilee 2000 and Drop the Debt (2001) aiming to reduce poverty through the cancellation of unpayable third world debt. Or Witness, which has supplied local activists in over 50 countries with video technology and field training, helping them to bring human rights abuses to the attention of governments and the world.

The ability of the individual to make a powerful statement with global impact also lives on. Working from the Taurus Press based in his garage in Wales, Paul Peter Piech (d.1996) produced lino-cut posters for many organisations and causes, especially Amnesty International. His prolific output of posters and ephemera was renowned and exhibited worldwide as a call to action against human rights abuses.