BROADCAST FOR BLOOD

TitleBROADCAST FOR BLOOD
BrandRED CROSS ROMANIA
Product/ServiceBLOOD DONATION
Category B04. Use of Broadcast
Entrant McCANN BUCHAREST, ROMANIA
Idea Creation McCANN BUCHAREST, ROMANIA
Media Placement UM BUCHAREST, ROMANIA
PR McCANN PR Bucharest, ROMANIA
Production MRM//McCANN BUCHAREST, ROMANIA
Credits
Name Company Position
CATALIN DOBRE MCCANN BUCHAREST Chief Creative Officer
ADRIAN BOTAN MCCANN EUROPE Creative President
COSTIN BOGDAN MCCANN BUCHAREST Group Creative Director
PAULA IONESCU MCCANN BUCHAREST Copywriter
MIHAI CONSTANTINESCU MCCANN BUCHAREST Art Director
DANA HOGEA MCCANN BUCHAREST Group Account Director
ALINA MASGRAS MCCANN BUCHAREST Account Manager
DIANA PATRICHE MCCANN BUCHAREST Senior Account Manager
CATALINA CROITORU MCCANN BUCHAREST Account Manager
OLGA TUDOR MCCANN BUCHAREST Account Manager
CORINA NICA MCCANN BUCHAREST Corporate PR Executive
PETRE BRUMA MCCANN BUCHAREST Production Manager
LAVINIA CHICAN MCCANN PR Senior Partner
MIHAELA DUMITRESCU MCCANN PR Account Director
ALEXANDRA TANASESCU MCCANN PR PR Manager
RALUCA ANDREICA MCCANN PR Copywriter
MARIA IORDACHE MCCANN PR Account Manager
VICTOR CROITORU UM ROMANIA CEE Strategy Director
ALEXANDRU PASCU UM ROMANIA Media Buyer
ALEX BUDIN MRM//MCCANN BUCHAREST Head of Technology
LAURA BELC MRM//MCCANN BUCHAREST Group Creative Director

Why is this work relevant for Direct?

Romanians rally to donate blood only when journalists report a tragedy on the news. The creative solution is a way to activate people to donate blood by hijacking the very medium that we knew they respond to - the news. We created microphone flags with the blood types in need prompting people to donate blood. A simple innovation that turned every microphone into a call for blood donors. From an often ignored topic, blood donation achieved breaking news presence every day across all main TV stations.

Background

Romania ranks last in the EU for registered blood donors. People donate massively only when there’s a tragedy on the news. Transfusion centers are over capacity one day, then empty for months after. But blood expires in 21 days, so short term spikes can’t solve the long term blood shortage. The Romanian Red Cross wanted to educate people about the importance of donating blood constantly. Someone needs a blood transfusion every 3 seconds, not just when there’s a tragedy in the news.

Describe the creative idea (30% of vote)

We looked for that one thing that’s constantly in the news across all channels every time: the microphone. We turned blood donation into Breaking News by creating microphone flags that ask for donors. So blood donation is in the news not only when tragedy strikes, but every day. The more important the piece of news is, the more stations are present, broadcasting when it happens. This is how our microphone gains visibility across more channels at once.

Describe the strategy (20% of vote)

TV stations have to power to shape people’s behavior. When journalists report a tragedy, they put the need for blood on the public agenda, generating huge queues at transfusion centers. But out of sight means out of mind. Most of the donated blood is not used for “breaking news” strategies. There are many daily struggles that don’t make headlines but need blood the most: such as surgeries or patients with cancer. When the need for blood is not featured on the news, people stop donating, leaving Romania last in the EU in terms of registered blood donors. To generate a constant stream of donors the Romanian Red Cross decided to put blood donation on the news constantly.

Describe the execution (20% of vote)

We hijacked the news by creating microphone flags that ask for blood donors. Using our simple innovation, every microphone became a call to action to donate blood. This means massive exposure live on TV, in prime time, especially during the news. Pro TV, leading local station, were first to join using the microphones every day in their broadcasts. All the main TV channels soon followed. Stations that are direct competitors came together for the cause, regardless of their profile or agenda. From public, commercial, religious, to sport, to music, they rallied in one of the biggest media mobilizations in recent years. To complete the story, TV stations also created special public service announcement reminding people to donate blood. As the cause gained momentum, even radio stations joined, using the branded microphones on their online broadcasts. Romania’s biggest artists also joined in by donating their microphones for the cause.

List the results (30% of vote)

The campaign started 2 months ago and the plan is to keep it indefinitely. 12 stations joined the cause so far TV (Pro TV, TVR 1, TVR 2, Digi24, Romania TV, Antena 1, Music Channel, Trinitas) Radio (Kiss FM, Magic FM, Rock KM, RFI) The blood donation microphones are visible on the stations the joined the cause, but also on the ones that didn’t, as Breaking News interviews usually feature the same microphones bouquet. 2.219.433 € earned media and still counting 128.588.000 impressions so far aka constant reminders for blood donation 52 minutes daily average air time 12% rise in constant donors in the largest cities. Not just a spike, but constant donors.