“We hope that this will be one of the largest public sector campaigns in recent history,” stated Jon Latham, NHS Blood and Transplant assistant director, marketing and donor services, of the 2016 #missingtype campaign.
Last year’s Missing Type campaign created by Engine Group agency, WCRS, for NHS Blood and Transplant has become the UK’s most awarded campaign of 2016 so far. It has won Gold and Bronze Cannes Lions, the Paul Arden Award for Innovation at Campaign Big Awards and been recognized at the One Show, Creative Circle and D&AD. Rewards for an idea inherently simple, eminently visible and a magnet for new media throughout the world.
Most importantly, it did its job. 30,000 new blood donor registrations were received over the course of its week-long run– equivalent to over 100,000 lives saved or improved.
In the campaign, that ran in the UK only, the Os, As and Bs were removed from key signs like Downing Street, the Odeon, the Daily Mirror (masthead) and Waterstones, to make Brits think about what would happen if these blood groups disappeared from our lives.
Huge brands like Google, Coca-Cola, Microsoft, McDonald’s and NotOnTheHighStreet.com also came on board.
This year, the campaign has returned. Bigger and broader. This year, it’s a global campaign, supported by a 30 second TVC.
New corporate partners include Microsoft, Royal Mail, and Paddy Power. Many more UK companies have joined the drive, including Boots, Warburtons, Manchester City, Santander, Transport for London and Odeon. Companies of all sizes throughout the world also.
Jon Latham, NHS Blood and Transplant assistant director, marketing and donor services, commented, “Missing Type really captured people’s imagination last year, drawing important attention to the need for new blood donors. In just ten days of campaign activity 30,000 people registered as blood donors across England and North Wales. Our campaign concept was very positively received by other blood services around the world. And we’re really proud to have led this year’s campaign across 25 services in 21 countries covering 1 billion of the world’s population to draw global attention to the decline in new blood donors and need for people to start donating.”
We’ve dropped the O from R_wntree’s to raise awareness for @GiveBloodNHS #MissingType https://t.co/GkscFC9s2s pic.twitter.com/D7NiEgpaKW
— R_wntree’s® (@ROWNTREES) August 16, 2016
Great add in today’s @theage for @RedCrossAU. Notice anything missing? #MissingType https://t.co/QhQHME51ky pic.twitter.com/0MiClMYbtC
— Gin Atkins (@GinAtkins) August 16, 2016
Great add in today’s @theage for @RedCrossAU. Notice anything missing? #MissingType https://t.co/QhQHME51ky pic.twitter.com/0MiClMYbtC
— Gin Atkins (@GinAtkins) August 16, 2016
Credits:
Agency: WCRS
Creatives: Jules Chalkley, Tom Dixon & Jo Griffin
Account team: Richard Clarke, Aimhirin Brock, Annie Gallimore & Gemma Irvine
Agency producer: Chantelle Bloom
Production and editing: Trailer Park
Director: Luke Jacobs
Producer: Kristina Neckel
Director of photography/lighting/camera: Luke Jacobs
Post production: Absolute Post
Music: MassiveMusic London
NHS: Jon Latham & Nadine Eaton
