LIFEBLOOD LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN VIA M&C SAATCHI HELPING 100,000 AUSTRALIANS FIND THEIR REASON
Australian Red Cross Lifeblood has launched a compelling new brand platform, ‘Life Is The Reason’, via M&C Saatchi Group. The campaign aims to gather 100,000 personal reasons behind blood, plasma and platelet donation, with the goal of attracting 100,000 new donors each year.
The ‘Life is the Reason’ campaign amplifies the real, personal, and life-saving reasons of real Lifeblood donors. With just three percent of the eligible population currently donating, the campaign challenges all Australians to find their reason to give.
“We’re asking people to find just one reason why they should donate,” says Jeremy Weiss, Lifeblood’s Chief Marketing Officer. “The campaign aims to change the mindset from why people don’t donate to the many powerful reasons why they should.”
To further engage the public, Lifeblood is inviting Australians to visit their Reasons Hub and share their personal motivations for donating, allowing Lifeblood to showcase their reason and image within the campaign. This initiative is part of a broader effort to inspire 100,000 new donors annually and sustain the life-saving work that benefits countless individuals in need.
M&C Saatchi’s National Executive Creative Director, Emma Robbins, expressed the team’s passion for the campaign: “Our goal together was to create a campaign that can talk to all blood product donations and makes people feel both the urgency but also the impact of their donation. ‘Life is the Reason’ is about connecting deeply with every Australian’s innate sense of generosity, empathy and community. It’s a campaign that makes you stop, think, and realise that whatever your reason, you have the power to save lives.”
Demand for red blood cells has surged by 10 percent over the past four years, and plasma demand is at an all-time high in Australia and globally. Lifeblood now collects more plasma than blood, with donated plasma being used to treat more than 50 serious medical conditions. While the organisation is incredibly thankful to its regular donors, the reality is that the current donor base cannot meet the growing demand alone.
M&C Saatchi Group was appointed as Lifeblood’s behaviour change agency in July following a competitive pitch. The agency has developed a dynamic creative campaign that spans multiple platforms, including out-of-home (OOH), TVOD, digital, and social media, aiming to reach a wide audience and drive action with a purpose-built filter encouraging Aussies to share their own reason using the ‘storytime’ trend. Earned and influencer amplification of the campaign is being driven via the passion marketing specialist arm, M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment.
To rally more Australians to join this life-saving mission, Lifeblood will have a mobile donor centre outside the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) during the official AFL Footy Festival, from Wednesday, September 25 to Saturday, September 28 (Grand Final Day). High profile Australian talent partnering with Lifeblood to share their reasons to donate include Ben and Hester Brown, Jack Riewoldt, Chantelle Otten, Dave Hughes, Erin Molan and Tim Robards.
Australians are encouraged to find their reason, step up, and make a life-changing donation. To donate, call 13 14 95, book online at lifeblood.com.au, or use the DonateBlood app.
Creative Agency: M&C Saatchi
● CEO: Michael McEwan
● Chief Creative Office: Steve Coll
● National Executive Creative Director: Emma Robbins
● Creative Director: Russel Fox
● Senior Copywriter: Daniel Borghesi
● Art Director: Jake Rowland
● Head of Strategy: Michael Hyde
● Senior Account Director: Alexandra Reynoldson
● Senior Account Director: Gemma Hall
● Account Director: Carolina Silva
● Head of TV Production: Loren August
● Senior Producer: Carol Sinclair
● Senior Integrated Producer: Christina Wilmot
● Design Director: James Jamais
● Senior Retoucher: Matthew Cox
● Integrated Designer: Kristopher McDuff
Media Agency: CHEP Network
● Group Client Director: Patrick Sands
● Account Manager: Peter Chantzos
● Group Digital Director: Luke Egan
● Digital Manager: Jeremy Nguyen
● Senior Digital Executive: Steph Athanasiou
● Digital Associate: Eliza Fogarty
● Head of Product: Frank Curcio
● National Head of Strategy: Nick Bauer
● Strategy Director: Sarah Kramer
Production
● Post Production: Jesse Richards
● Post Producer: Carol Sinclair
● Music and Sound Design: Bang Bang Studios
● Composer: Tristan Dewey
● Producer : Polly Mcgregor
● Sound Engineer: Justin Bodanac
Client: Australian Red Cross Lifeblood
● Chief Marketing Officer: Jeremy Weiss
● Head of Brand and Creative: Bree Berg
● Creative Manager: Amanda Brass
● Senior Campaign Specialist: Becky Brownjohn
● Brand Manager: Rebecca Sexton
● Program Manager: Candice Bedelis
● Senior Brand Specialist: Elizabeth Dempsey
● Head of Marketing Planning: Alysha Barden
● Head of Growth Marketing: Jude Leon
● Acquisition Marketing Manager: Steph Garner
● Senior Campaign Specialist: Jess Thwaites
● Senior Media Manager, Media and CEO Communications: Rachel Wells
● Media & Public Relations Manager: Hannah Rayment
● Brand Partnerships Manager: Jo Lawson
● Content and Social Media Manager: Jessica Van Coppenhagen
17 Comments
Would like their AAMI trick back, please.
____________ is lucky
____________ is the reason
Yeah, aami own that device.
Lol.
Good one.
It’s just like that very average AAMI outdoor where the idea is ‘_____ you’re with AAMI’. Except in the AAMI one they left the underlined bit blank and let the picture do the talking. Like this one should have. Except then, it would have been precisely the same, instead of almost exactly the same.
Mate. Love this. Kicken goals! Wanna grab some breakfast for lunch mate? My shout! give a dial mate. Mate?!
In trying to speak to everyone, you end up speaking to no-one.
Also – “My mates is the reason” doesn’t make sense grammatically
at best
Love the long list of names that leaves out the actual crew that created the work.
I love a passively aggressive comment about giving credit who doesn’t tell us who was left off. Be useful.
What’s the idea meant to be? “Everyone has their own reason” or “life is the reason”? They’re two different thoughts which seem to have been mashed together.
I have absolutely nothing to do with this work. But if you’re confused by this, I think you’re just clutching at things to criticise. Semantic bullshit. Sit down you sad little person.
Firstly, I feel for the poor creatives if they actually have to give 100,000 reasons. (More likely is a ‘numbered pigs’ situation, but still.)
Ultimately, this feels like a missed opportunity for a well-deserving cause.
If the goal is to attract 100k+ new donors, why go for a passive, impersonal campaign without a direct link to the audience?
If there are so many reasons, why are they all labelled THE reason? It makes it definitive. Surely it’s their reason, or MY reason if spoken as a testimonial.
Furthermore, how will behaviour be changed if there’s nothing challenged or raised? It’s great to showcase so many reasons, but it asks nothing of the audience.
Just one extra line to push that thought – even something as blatant as “What will be yours?” – and you make this work so much harder.
It’s already tough to cut through apathy, doubts, and objections in order to change behaviour. It’s virtually impossible with a dull edge.
Lol. I love it when people rewrite work on here.
If only you were there, to save everyone! What were they thinking!!!!?
Maybe put your thoughts into a deck and circulate it with the team?
This campaign looks so beautiful! NICE!
As someone who donates regularly, I can tell you that the thinking behind this campaign is bang on target.
If you’re going to roll out an exhausted and lackluster structure like Life is the reason, at least stick to the construct and make it all about life, as the name suggested. Because I’m lucky to be healthy is the reason, Life Blood. That makes no sense whatsoever.
Surely someone on that long credit list could have raised a hand in one of those expensive M&C meetings?
I suppose if the audience have the time on their hands that you clearly do they wouldn’t need to do a campaign at all.
There are a whole bunch of reason why you’d want to donate blood. Doesn’t seem much more complicated than that… and I spent all of 3 seconds looking at it.
Did you have any other tiresome questions?
Surely that’s because none of the footage was actually shot for this campaign – looks like found footage with a black and white filter applied…