La Croix-Rouge de Belgique (the Francophone Belgian Red Cross) needs to maintain a sufficient stock of blood all year round to meet the needs of hospitals. Among the most valuable profiles are donors with O-negative and B-negative blood types. So what’s the problem? Even though most Belgians know their blood type, there are still too few Rhesus-negative donors. Therefore, a campaign was needed to mobilise Rhesus-negative blood donors to donate before summer, while also recruiting new donors.
In daily life, being negative is rarely considered a positive quality, but when it comes to blood, this is exactly the opposite. So, we decided to turn this perception around and bring ‘Negative’ to life: a small character in the form of a minus sign, grumpy, complaining, sometimes sulky, but most of all very much needed. This unexpected hero embodies all negative blood types and reminds us of a simple truth: being negative has never been so positive! For several weeks, Negative came to life in digital content, animations, visuals and a radio spot. He always stayed true to his character: a little grumpy, often funny, but essential when it comes to saving lives.
Each communication made it possible to point out that Rh-negative blood is urgently needed, all while praising O-negative and B-negative donors in a light, positive and human way.
