SANBS
Client: South African National Blood Service
Project: Acquisition Marketing
How do you increase blood drive participation in gated communities?
CHALLENGE
During COVID-19, corporate blood drives and donations became impossible, which led to the South African National Blood Service (SANBS) commissioning us to uncover alternative ways to drive blood donations at the same quantity as corporates had historically done – 3500 units per day.
INSIGHT
During our research, we discovered that housing estates were a new untapped audience. Our Business Anthropologists discovered that when talking to housing estate audiences, we needed to speak to several groups in the DMU: Namely the Home Owners Association, the Managing Agent, and the Estate Manager or Board. We also learnt about people’s fears and reservations when giving blood.
KEY FINDINGS
People need models, examples, and mentors (social proof) who model donation behaviour. The bystander effect inhibits the urgency/need for others to get involved. Decision-makers feel that community value is just as important as fiscal value in creating an attractive estate.
Running an estate is not just about managing an asset – its also about playing a part in shaping a community.
STRATEGY AND CREATIVE
Get decision-makers in body corporates who shape the culture and experiences of communities by making decisions on what is allowed to permit a blood drive in estates by inspiring them to enable an opportunity for their community/estate to do something good at a time when everyone is craving something positive.
We want to inspire people to enable their communities to do good in a time when everyone needs some positivity.
During tough times, people want a sense of community. A sense of ‘oneness’. A sense that, no matter what, we’re all in this together, for our communities, and a country we can all be a part of…
THE BLOOD DRIVE-IN
Beyond the estate-backed blood drives, we also hosted a few key events in specific suburbs.
Those with tickets from their complex blood drives would get free entry while their guests or other people from other complexes, free-standing homes, and estates can join. Their payment would be that at least 1 person in their car will have to donate blood while watching the movie.
