Signage Campaign Entices Donors To Give

Challenge: A nonprofit blood bank, highly recognized in the community, realized that local residents had little awareness of the organization’s purpose. As a result, only a small percentage of people were donating blood. In an effort to increase the amount of blood donations, they asked for our help with a brand awareness campaign.

Solution: To establish consistent branding for display across the entire rural area, our graphics team worked to establish one message and streamline all communication pathways. After using the new branding in direct mail pieces and marketing collateral, we brainstormed ways that we could help the blood bank make a larger impact in town.

Since billboards were prohibited, we had to be creative. We saw the blood bank’s motor coach as the perfect real estate to raise awareness. The motor coach, which drives throughout town and parks in different locations as a mobile donation site, boasted uninviting, unappealing graphics. We designed a new vehicle vinyl wrap, coupled with signage and wall murals, as part of an impactful signage campaign.

The signage we produced included a wall mural for the reception area of the main facility, retractable banners, “hours of operation” signs for three locations, blood drive posters, interior building drawings for PR events, acrylic sign holders with literature pockets, signs for a funding campaign and window signage.

Results: The sign campaign materials helped the blood bank increase the number of new donors by over 20 percent compared with the previous year. The innovative signs and motor coach vehicle wrap also helped the blood bank reach a younger demographic. The number of youth donors increased by 40 percent. The signage also helped increase the frequency of donors. Best of all, the marketing director tells us that the signage and bus wrap have been effective in making the blood bank more recognizable throughout the entire community.