“Donate red for Romania”, social mobilization campaign signed by Geometry Global and Observator

Geometry Global and Observator, the main Antena 1 news  program, started en “experiment”  through which they invite Romanians to visit the closest blood donation center.

“Donate red for Romania” is a social mobilization campaign that aims to determine Romanians to donate blood. “Donate red” became the message under which, between April 28th – May 2nd, Observator’s screen looses red color while relevant news on the subject are presented.

Online, Romanians can continue support the cause by accessing a Facebook app, “Donate red for Romania”, app though which each user can find the list with the closest blood donation center and change its profile picture with campaign’s slogan. During the 5 days of campaign, the number of those that donated blood in Romania’s capital increased by 100%, while the estimations for the rest of country show a 50% increase in blood donations.

Donate red for Romania campaign tries to mobilize the Romanians to donate blood, in a country which ranks among the last in this domain. My blood type, O RH negative, a rare type, that donate blood to everyone but only receives from the same type, makes me understand even more what generosity and care for those in need mean. I don’t want to postpone for tomorrow those we can save today

Andreea Berecleanu,

Host main news journal Antena 1

In Romania, less than 2% of the population donates blood and even less do so constantly, so people risk to die in hospitals because the blood doesn’t get there in time or at all to those that need it. This is how the idea to show how life is without red gets its own philosophy and a communication strategy that Geometry Global presented to Observator; in less than 2 weeks after the presentation, the campaign was launched

We met with Observator’s team with 2 simple thoughts in our minds: we make people to acknowledge the lack of blood directly, through the lack of red color from TV’s screen and, because online target is different, we are conceiving an app through which the users can join the cause and make the message very visible. With news program’s help, 2 simple ideas, together with the list of the closest blood donation centers, represent today a strong CSR campaign that aims direct results: more red, more life for Romania, more donors

Mihai Fetcu,

Creative Director Geometry Global.

The campaign is a pro bono initiative from Geometry Global which, for Antena 1’s Observator, generated in a normal way a journalistic initiative. Campaign’s idea gained momentum and, besides the tailored news and the Facebook app, more Romanian celebrities joined directly the campaign and shared relevant experiences.

Before the campaign, the daily average of blood donors was, at Bucharest’s center, of 180-200 donors; the first day of campaign saw 228 people donating blood and 275 came in the second day.

After 5 days of campaign and in 4 concrete blood donation days, Bucharest’s transfusions centers were visited every day by 340 donors.

The teams working on the campaign included

• Geometry Global: Sorana Somesan (Senior Copywriter), Florina Alexandru (Senior Art Director), Mihai Fetcu (Creative Director), Stefan Vasilachi (Head of Art), Alex Petrescu (Strategic Planner),  Raluca Berceanu (Digital Account Manager), Mihaela Bourceanu (Client Service Director) and Radu Glont (New Business Director)
•  Antena 1: Lavinia Tudoran (Deputy Editor in Chief Observator), Alin Romascan (Head of News, News Departament), Ioana Raduca (Social department Chief), Dan Tuturoiu (Digital Specialist), Magda Bucur and Daniel Calin – reporters, Andrei Feraru, Alex Moise and George Chironica – cameramen.
• Antena 1 celebrities which joined the cause: Alexandra Badoi, Vali Butnaru, Daniel Osmanovici, Razvan Lupu, Octavia Geamanu, Geanina Ilies, Iulia Zgripcea, Anca Lungu and Andreea Berecleanu.