Bleeding your team's colors
March 20, 2025 1:42 PM Subscribe
The Norwegian Red Cross had a genius ad campaign. They leveraged team loyalty with a series of locally-customized ads to drive recruitment of blood donors -- and it worked really well, with an estimated 16,000 lives saved as a result!
In the U.S., 3% of the population donates whole blood -- and a smaller fraction of that give platelets or double-reds. This matches the WHO's 2023 estimate worldwide:
If you can, please donate today! Blood products are perishable and the supply can fluctuate, so any donor is valuable. And I give you permission to take as many cookies as you want when you're done.
In the U.S., 3% of the population donates whole blood -- and a smaller fraction of that give platelets or double-reds. This matches the WHO's 2023 estimate worldwide:
Based on samples of 1000 people, the blood donation rate is 31.5 donations in high-income countries, 16.4 donations in upper-middle-income countries, 6.6 donations in lower-middle-income countries and 5.0 donations in low-income countries.Should they paid to boost recruitment? The WHO says no:
An adequate and reliable supply of safe blood can be assured by a stable base of regular, voluntary, unpaid blood donors. These donors are also the safest group of donors as the prevalence of bloodborne infections is lowest among this group.That said, many donor centers give away cool t-shirts, ugly socks, and other branded items -- and of course cookies and drinks.
If you can, please donate today! Blood products are perishable and the supply can fluctuate, so any donor is valuable. And I give you permission to take as many cookies as you want when you're done.
I heard something on the radio recently about this study of donor blood health, which is interesting, though with lots of unknowns and caveats, and only men studied. I would give blood more often if there were more sessions available in places I could get to.
posted by paduasoy at 2:30 PM on March 20 [1 favorite]
posted by paduasoy at 2:30 PM on March 20 [1 favorite]
In 2022 the Guardian reported on a study of a bunch of firefighters exposed to nasty chemicals, and the blood donors had fewer PFAS in their blood.
posted by wenestvedt at 2:36 PM on March 20 [1 favorite]
posted by wenestvedt at 2:36 PM on March 20 [1 favorite]
I always thought the US FDA banned payment for whole blood, but there is no law on the books that prevents it. However, the feds have put the word out that you shouldn't trust donations made this way because people will lie on their health profiles to get paid. So hospitals won't take it.
I am no longer eligible to donate blood, but I used to donate when there was a blood drive at my high school (ok, I confess it was mainly a way to skip school for me). But I remember you'd go through the whole questionaire but then at the end they gave you a piece of a paper with a one-question survey that you had to complete privately and then seal shut (The paper kind of folded in half and had sticker-sides to turn it into a closed envelope kind of thing). It was one checkbox that basically said "use my blood" or "don't use my blood." and as they explained it to us was intended to give people an out if they lied on the questionnaire because they were embarassed to say something or didn't want something known. I think the nurse also implied that it was a work-around way some people could get tested for HIV without having to ask their doctor or go to a testing centre. (there was no payment so that wouldn't be the motivation.). As the nurses explained it, if you said "don't use my blood" they would still collect the blood (Since no on there knows what box you checked), and everything would proceed as normal. They would still test the blood and contact you if they found anything. But when the little ballot was opened and revealed that you said don't use my blood they would throw it out.
This was back when the red cross still handled blood donations. I don't know if this procedure is still in place now.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 2:50 PM on March 20 [3 favorites]
I am no longer eligible to donate blood, but I used to donate when there was a blood drive at my high school (ok, I confess it was mainly a way to skip school for me). But I remember you'd go through the whole questionaire but then at the end they gave you a piece of a paper with a one-question survey that you had to complete privately and then seal shut (The paper kind of folded in half and had sticker-sides to turn it into a closed envelope kind of thing). It was one checkbox that basically said "use my blood" or "don't use my blood." and as they explained it to us was intended to give people an out if they lied on the questionnaire because they were embarassed to say something or didn't want something known. I think the nurse also implied that it was a work-around way some people could get tested for HIV without having to ask their doctor or go to a testing centre. (there was no payment so that wouldn't be the motivation.). As the nurses explained it, if you said "don't use my blood" they would still collect the blood (Since no on there knows what box you checked), and everything would proceed as normal. They would still test the blood and contact you if they found anything. But when the little ballot was opened and revealed that you said don't use my blood they would throw it out.
This was back when the red cross still handled blood donations. I don't know if this procedure is still in place now.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 2:50 PM on March 20 [3 favorites]
I'm a regular donor in Australia, where the system is entirely voluntary. Aside from the anonymous altruism (the main factor for me):
- the Australian Red Cross make it very easy for me to donate. Very flexible online scheduling system with easy cancellation/rescheduling, lots of locations aligned with population density, free parking, etc.
- free milkshakes, juice, snacks and such during and after.
- staff and volunteers clearly like working there.
- frankly, I'm big, so what I donate doesn't knock me around much.
- by default I get a regular and free semi health check - risk behaviour questions, blood pressure, haemoglobin count - this is useful for a basically (fortunately) healthy person who otherwise doesn't think about their health much.
posted by jjderooy at 2:54 PM on March 20 [2 favorites]
- the Australian Red Cross make it very easy for me to donate. Very flexible online scheduling system with easy cancellation/rescheduling, lots of locations aligned with population density, free parking, etc.
- free milkshakes, juice, snacks and such during and after.
- staff and volunteers clearly like working there.
- frankly, I'm big, so what I donate doesn't knock me around much.
- by default I get a regular and free semi health check - risk behaviour questions, blood pressure, haemoglobin count - this is useful for a basically (fortunately) healthy person who otherwise doesn't think about their health much.
posted by jjderooy at 2:54 PM on March 20 [2 favorites]
UK system also voluntary. I gave pretty regularly from 18 -30-ish but then was advised to stop. I haven't seen a local drive for donations for ages though, so not sure whether they have changed their approach.
posted by biffa at 3:02 PM on March 20 [1 favorite]
posted by biffa at 3:02 PM on March 20 [1 favorite]
Another Australian donor here. I donate plasma once a fortnight and have done for years. Lifeblood Australia is a very well run operation that uses social media very effectively to encourage and reward donors. One thing that struck me was the impact of getting a text a week after a donation telling me that my plasma had just been used for a patient in a hospital 1000k away from where I donated. Things like that are more powerful for me than being given a free waterbottle or keyring (which I invariably decline). They encourage donors to post on social media and have a very on-the-ball social media team themselves.
I book via an app on my phone, which also gives me access to fortnightly blood pressure, haemoglobin and iron levels. The staff clearly love their jobs and being a regular donor I've become good friends with a few. I genuinely look forward to my plasma donation each week (tomorrow morning at 9am!).
I have a reasonably rare blood type which is particularly suited for plasma, zero squeamishness or fear of needles, and veins the size of drainpipes. If people like me don't donate, when who does?
posted by tim_in_oz at 3:55 PM on March 20 [6 favorites]
I book via an app on my phone, which also gives me access to fortnightly blood pressure, haemoglobin and iron levels. The staff clearly love their jobs and being a regular donor I've become good friends with a few. I genuinely look forward to my plasma donation each week (tomorrow morning at 9am!).
I have a reasonably rare blood type which is particularly suited for plasma, zero squeamishness or fear of needles, and veins the size of drainpipes. If people like me don't donate, when who does?
posted by tim_in_oz at 3:55 PM on March 20 [6 favorites]
I don't know if this procedure is still in place now.
I never encountered the secret questionnaire with Red Cross or Impact Life. It seems like a lot of resources to collect a full donation from someone who doesn’t actually intend to donate.
I wish I could convince more people in my life to donate. Even if everyone did it just once! Spread over time of course… I had to stop because my vein stopped being willing to give up the goods.
posted by obfuscation at 5:03 PM on March 20 [1 favorite]
I never encountered the secret questionnaire with Red Cross or Impact Life. It seems like a lot of resources to collect a full donation from someone who doesn’t actually intend to donate.
I wish I could convince more people in my life to donate. Even if everyone did it just once! Spread over time of course… I had to stop because my vein stopped being willing to give up the goods.
posted by obfuscation at 5:03 PM on March 20 [1 favorite]
wow, I really like this ad campaign, a lot
posted by DoctorFedora at 5:12 PM on March 20 [1 favorite]
posted by DoctorFedora at 5:12 PM on March 20 [1 favorite]
I used to work in a job for the Australian government that dealt with whole blood and also with processed products derived from combining multiple blood donations (like clotting factors for people with haemophilia). Australia never pays blood donors.
There are two main reasons to never pay for blood donations:
1) Paid blood is much more likely to be positive for HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C etc. Also if you pay for blood, you get people donating too-frequently, which has consequences for both the quality of the blood donation and the health of the donor;
2) Paying for blood turns off the low-risk altruistic donors and makes them stop giving blood, because they no longer get the social kudos and warm fuzzy feelings.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 5:36 PM on March 20 [4 favorites]
There are two main reasons to never pay for blood donations:
1) Paid blood is much more likely to be positive for HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C etc. Also if you pay for blood, you get people donating too-frequently, which has consequences for both the quality of the blood donation and the health of the donor;
2) Paying for blood turns off the low-risk altruistic donors and makes them stop giving blood, because they no longer get the social kudos and warm fuzzy feelings.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 5:36 PM on March 20 [4 favorites]
This was back when the red cross still handled blood donations. I don't know if this procedure is still in place now.
I've donated blood in the US, mostly through the American Red Cross but at certain times in my life to other local blood banks, for about 20 years. I also remember a time when there was that one last indicator of "use my blood" or "don't use my blood" after the full health questionnaire, which you answered privately. I don't remember it as a paper that folded up into an envelope - I think for me it was that you picked a sticker with a barcode or something, no text on the sticker itself, and stuck it onto the form. But you picked it when the intake person stepped out of the little space where you were being processed, and you threw away the other sticker before they came back, so they wouldn't know which you selected. It was also explained to me as an escape hatch for people who were afraid that not donating would out them as a man who had sex with men or someone who was HIV-positive or was afraid of having some other STD, etc.
That said though I haven't seen that as part of the procedure for at least the last 5 years, maybe more like 10 or more. American Red Cross also now has a blood donor app which makes scheduling and canceling easier, encourages social media interaction, gives you updates as your blood goes through testing and eventually which hospital it ends up at, and also lets you do the health questionnaire the day of before you get to the appointment, so the nurse/phlebotomist/technician/whoever just scans a QR code from your app and then verbally follows up with you on any of your answers requiring further details. It's streamlined!
One other thing I've noticed over time is somewhat more of a recruiting press for people who are eligible to do double red cell donations, where they hook you up to a machine that takes your red blood cells and filters out your white blood cells but puts your plasma and platelets back into you. I guess it's more efficient, and the machines have improved to do it more quickly.
The post-donation cookies and juice are about the same as I've always seen though!
posted by sigmagalator at 7:27 PM on March 20 [3 favorites]
I've donated blood in the US, mostly through the American Red Cross but at certain times in my life to other local blood banks, for about 20 years. I also remember a time when there was that one last indicator of "use my blood" or "don't use my blood" after the full health questionnaire, which you answered privately. I don't remember it as a paper that folded up into an envelope - I think for me it was that you picked a sticker with a barcode or something, no text on the sticker itself, and stuck it onto the form. But you picked it when the intake person stepped out of the little space where you were being processed, and you threw away the other sticker before they came back, so they wouldn't know which you selected. It was also explained to me as an escape hatch for people who were afraid that not donating would out them as a man who had sex with men or someone who was HIV-positive or was afraid of having some other STD, etc.
That said though I haven't seen that as part of the procedure for at least the last 5 years, maybe more like 10 or more. American Red Cross also now has a blood donor app which makes scheduling and canceling easier, encourages social media interaction, gives you updates as your blood goes through testing and eventually which hospital it ends up at, and also lets you do the health questionnaire the day of before you get to the appointment, so the nurse/phlebotomist/technician/whoever just scans a QR code from your app and then verbally follows up with you on any of your answers requiring further details. It's streamlined!
One other thing I've noticed over time is somewhat more of a recruiting press for people who are eligible to do double red cell donations, where they hook you up to a machine that takes your red blood cells and filters out your white blood cells but puts your plasma and platelets back into you. I guess it's more efficient, and the machines have improved to do it more quickly.
The post-donation cookies and juice are about the same as I've always seen though!
posted by sigmagalator at 7:27 PM on March 20 [3 favorites]
I'd done the double-red apheresis, and it's more efficient for you where the plasma is put back and only your red cells are harvested. This means you don't dehydrate, although you lose calcium and you're handed Tums tablets to eat when your lips start to tingle, the first symptom of low Ca+.
Packed red cells are more useful in an emergency situation for severe blood loss, but it also means you can't return to donate again for 16 weeks compared to 8 on a whole-blood donation.
I haven't done it in a while but it's a much longer process to set up the machine and get going. It takes around an hour.
posted by JoeZydeco at 7:55 PM on March 20 [1 favorite]
Packed red cells are more useful in an emergency situation for severe blood loss, but it also means you can't return to donate again for 16 weeks compared to 8 on a whole-blood donation.
I haven't done it in a while but it's a much longer process to set up the machine and get going. It takes around an hour.
posted by JoeZydeco at 7:55 PM on March 20 [1 favorite]
I never encountered the secret questionnaire with Red Cross or Impact Life. It seems like a lot of resources to collect a full donation from someone who doesn’t actually intend to donate.
This would have been the early 90s when the red cross was in deep trouble about hepatitis (which is howbthe red cross lost the whole blood donation thing) and when people could HIV for months before testing positive. When HIV and AIDS were more commonly fatal and far less treatable than they are now. And when there were lifetime deferrals for men who had sex with men and more stigma than there is now.
So I'm sure the red cross thought of the resources were being used to keep hepatitis and HIV out of the blood supply (both as a good in itself and to avoid gettingbtheir asses sued off and another pr disaster), which would kind of seem worth whatever resources were necessary.
What I remember thinking was odd was that the question asked use my blood/don't use my blood. I felt even as a hs student that it should have asked if you gave any untruthful answers to the other questions. Given that there were many disqualifying factors that were controversial even then a person who had lied on the questionnaire but felt like the criterion for exclusion was a bad one would still be fine with having their blood used.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 7:59 PM on March 20 [1 favorite]
This would have been the early 90s when the red cross was in deep trouble about hepatitis (which is howbthe red cross lost the whole blood donation thing) and when people could HIV for months before testing positive. When HIV and AIDS were more commonly fatal and far less treatable than they are now. And when there were lifetime deferrals for men who had sex with men and more stigma than there is now.
So I'm sure the red cross thought of the resources were being used to keep hepatitis and HIV out of the blood supply (both as a good in itself and to avoid gettingbtheir asses sued off and another pr disaster), which would kind of seem worth whatever resources were necessary.
What I remember thinking was odd was that the question asked use my blood/don't use my blood. I felt even as a hs student that it should have asked if you gave any untruthful answers to the other questions. Given that there were many disqualifying factors that were controversial even then a person who had lied on the questionnaire but felt like the criterion for exclusion was a bad one would still be fine with having their blood used.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 7:59 PM on March 20 [1 favorite]
I seem to recall that use my blood/don't use my blood question in Canada when I first donated in 2019. Can't recall if I saw it the second time they donated more recently. I always hear they need more blood in Canada, but it is hard to find whole blood donation appointments. They don't have regular ones in my city, you have to find out when the clinic is. Would be nice if there was a little email when I'm eligible to donate again and there is a clinic in town, you know?
posted by Canageek at 8:52 PM on March 20 [2 favorites]
posted by Canageek at 8:52 PM on March 20 [2 favorites]
> the impact of getting a text a week after a donation
They do this in the UK too and I also find it motivating, and tell people about it, which I guess is what they want.
posted by paduasoy at 10:59 PM on March 20 [1 favorite]
They do this in the UK too and I also find it motivating, and tell people about it, which I guess is what they want.
posted by paduasoy at 10:59 PM on March 20 [1 favorite]
My recollection seems to be that they use/don’t use sticker system is in place for blood drives where they come to your work or school and there’s a bunch of social pressure to participate, it gives people an out. But if you are making the appointment to go out to the blood center yourself they don’t need to give you that out.
posted by Jon_Evil at 3:15 AM on March 21 [4 favorites]
posted by Jon_Evil at 3:15 AM on March 21 [4 favorites]
When I've gone in, even though it was in a bus, they had set up a little soundproof booth where it was just me and the intake person and I could have told them then that they shouldn't use my blood. I was rejected once for uninteresting medical reasons and it did feel weird to leave the booth without donating -- I'm sure the other people in the bus were idly wondering what was up.
posted by The corpse in the library at 10:44 AM on March 21 [1 favorite]
posted by The corpse in the library at 10:44 AM on March 21 [1 favorite]
Saving lives with the "pure blood" moral value.
Usually one only sees it used to justify segregation. Brilliant!
posted by otherchaz at 11:16 AM on March 21
Usually one only sees it used to justify segregation. Brilliant!
posted by otherchaz at 11:16 AM on March 21
About the "don't use my blood" question: I donate through Red Cross in the US. I complete the RapidPass questionnare online beforehand, which is nice. It includes a requirement for me to check that I am in a private setting while completing it. After doing the intake onsite, and settling me in on the cot, the intake person gives me a sheet of after-care instructions and says, "when you get home, if you think of any reason we should not use the blood you donated today, please call this number" and points to the phone number. So that's how they address the issue now, here.
Why do I donate? Mostly the good feeling of helping someone who is having a very very bad day. And also:
They have a drive in our village every 8 weeks, same time and place. My husband and I go every time and tend to see the same people, and have a nice chat catching up with our blood drive buddies, neighbors we like but don't see very often. It feels like building community.
I donate mainly because my husband sets the example and I go along, even though I tend to get light-headed no matter how well-fed and well-hydrated I am. One more way he makes me a better person. I won't go without him though; I count on him to catch me if i pass out (and have done. No big deal). How's that for a "date night?"
posted by evilmomlady at 6:36 PM on March 21 [7 favorites]
Why do I donate? Mostly the good feeling of helping someone who is having a very very bad day. And also:
They have a drive in our village every 8 weeks, same time and place. My husband and I go every time and tend to see the same people, and have a nice chat catching up with our blood drive buddies, neighbors we like but don't see very often. It feels like building community.
I donate mainly because my husband sets the example and I go along, even though I tend to get light-headed no matter how well-fed and well-hydrated I am. One more way he makes me a better person. I won't go without him though; I count on him to catch me if i pass out (and have done. No big deal). How's that for a "date night?"
posted by evilmomlady at 6:36 PM on March 21 [7 favorites]
I'm one for whom the bus works very well.
If I have to make an appointment, the dread of the needle will take over, and I'll cancel. But if I'm out somewhere, and see the bus, if I have the time I'll duck in and give.
I don't get dizzy or faint, so it works well for me. I don't give as often as I possibly could, but the bus helps me give a few times a year at least. It's what is sustainable for me.
posted by Vigilant at 9:18 AM on March 24 [1 favorite]
If I have to make an appointment, the dread of the needle will take over, and I'll cancel. But if I'm out somewhere, and see the bus, if I have the time I'll duck in and give.
I don't get dizzy or faint, so it works well for me. I don't give as often as I possibly could, but the bus helps me give a few times a year at least. It's what is sustainable for me.
posted by Vigilant at 9:18 AM on March 24 [1 favorite]
+1 to "great ad, thanks for sharing" and +100 to "please consider donating." I'm kind-of a baby about needles so it took me years to get up to giving whole blood, but like tim_in_oz I'm on team Venous Drainpipes, so I figured if it wasn't going to be me, who would it be? 20yrs later, I now give platelets every 2wks or so, and I'm still not great with needles but at least I never have to worry about running out of clean t-shirts! I also have 2ish hours every other week to watch whatever dreck on Netflix nobody else in my house can stand.
A small joke:
Is the Red Cross the best organization for blood donations?
I'm not sure, but their logo is a big plus.
posted by adekllny at 12:24 PM on March 24 [1 favorite]
A small joke:
Is the Red Cross the best organization for blood donations?
I'm not sure, but their logo is a big plus.
posted by adekllny at 12:24 PM on March 24 [1 favorite]
I still look away when they put the needle in: no freakin' way can I watch that. But after we start I'm good to go. Bring me a black coffee, maybe some Oreos, and watch me go!
Last Friday I got my sweatshirt in the mail from the 2024 "platelet pact" campaign. It has a picture of a golden drop (presumably of platelets, not urine) on the front. I wore it all weekend!
I will be thinking of you all on Wednesday morning while I donate platelets again.
posted by wenestvedt at 1:41 PM on March 24 [2 favorites]
Last Friday I got my sweatshirt in the mail from the 2024 "platelet pact" campaign. It has a picture of a golden drop (presumably of platelets, not urine) on the front. I wore it all weekend!
I will be thinking of you all on Wednesday morning while I donate platelets again.
posted by wenestvedt at 1:41 PM on March 24 [2 favorites]
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My idea was to consider it a charitable donation. If I can donate and deduct a $400 armoire to Goodwill why can't I also deduct my O- unit that gets sold to an ER for $400? Unfortunately Cheeto's 2017 tax code rewrite made the standard deduction so high that this is kind of moot, now. Maybe a tax credit would be better but I'll just dream on.
posted by JoeZydeco at 2:18 PM on March 20 [2 favorites]