This project began with my passion for blood donation and my curiosity towards why I personally didn’t know more blood donors. This habit formed during the right time and place in my life as I was looking to create more of a positive impact, I jumped right into it at the age of 17 and never looked back. I realized this wasn’t the usual case for many others, it was this realization which sparked my initial research phase into Millennials and their engagement in blood donation.
Half of all Canadians will either need blood or know someone who will need blood at some point in their lives, yet only 4% of Canadians donate. The need for blood is constant as blood and blood products are a critical part of everyday medical care. Donor contributions are crucial for a healthy, stable and reliable blood supply. – Canadian Blood Services
During my initial research phase, it was repeatedly highlighted in literature that the current donor pool is oversaturated with Baby Boomers who will continue to age. Due to this, concerns are arising around how blood services will continue to meet operational needs not only implying the constant demand for donated blood but the need for recruiting younger donors.
Later conducting interviews with experts from the Canadian Blood Services, I was given new information that conflicted with my current research findings. I realized I went into the interview with a confirmation bias that Millennials were underrepresented in the donor pool when on the contrary, they were rather actively engaged with the cause. This misconception was pointed out by my interviewee which unfortunately debunked the original hypothesis that there was a need to recruit more Millennial donors due to the currently aging and declining donor base.
Switching Gears
With this new information, I was stuck on how to move forward with my project. Perseverance and committing to my topic regardless of the setback proved to be the right move and a good learning experience as I was able to take advantage of this newly found data. During my interview, it was revealed that donations are actually lacking among the middle-aged donor segment with a problematic but unsurprising high amount of donors over the age of 50. Middle-aged donors also represent the smallest group of active donors and largest group of lapsed donors. Additionally, I drew from my previous findings that guided me into a new direction, this included:
The most reported reason for giving blood the first time is ‘influence from a friend’.
The two most frequently reported difficulties were it being ‘nothing special’ and ‘laziness’.
Positively influencing self-efficacy, attitudes and surrounding perceptions of blood donation increases likelihood of donation.
Potential donors aged 30-50 are represented by older Millennials, Generation X and young Baby Boomers — they work stable jobs, are constantly busy with work/family life, value a work-life balance and communicate across a wide range of platforms.
Final Solution
Considering all this information as a whole I was able to arrive at my final idea of group blood donation. These ideas evolved into a promotional campaign and accompanying toolkit which promotes group blood donation among middle-aged adults, 30 to 50. It provides them with the information and tools to organize their own group blood donation events in their communities. Overcoming the setback during my research phase turned out to be my greatest obstacle as the rest of the project unfolded smoothly in comparison. Diving into the execution phase, writing and editing became an integral part of the design process as much attention was paid to how ideas were communicated through the language used.
#GiveTogether Branding
My approach to the branding of the #GiveTogether campaign began with the objective to break away from the current perception of healthcare related materials. The form of a droplet was explored, duplicated and rotated to visualize the community spirit of group blood donation. Blue connotes calmness and tranquility while red represents power and passion, these colours represent the humbling and passionate emotions that blood donation can create among donors and recipients. Utilizing these contrasting colours, gradients, and textures create a new and refreshing aesthetic to healthcare related materials.
How it Works
The promotional campaign promotes group blood donation by showing users ways they can incorporate blood donation into their everyday social activities they’re already doing thus making these events more meaningful and socially impactful. The final set of deliverables leverages key research findings to create maximum impact among users. Utilizing the greatest influencing factor in the first-time donation, ‘influence from a friend’ helps to create and reinforce donation patterns among groups of adults. All the while, a ‘team effort’ approach makes the act of blood donation more positive and memorable among donors. Lastly, the toolkit ultimately works to positively influence self-efficacy, donor attitudes, and current perceptions about blood donation which all help to increase donation rates.
Components:
3 Promotional campaign ads
Host handbook
Event poster template
Donation process poster
Eligibility fact cards
Donation invite cards
Social media assets
Branded takeaways
Pens
Stickers
Sticky notes
