Integrated Marketing Communication's Capstone project for the American Red Cross to generate blood donation among those 18-24 years old.

1. Sarah I. Smith ǀ Inkblot Marketing ǀ 5944 Nathan Drive #4 ǀ Huntington, WV 25705
American Red Cross Campaign Proposal. Copyright ©2011 [Inkblot Marketing]. CONFIDENTIAL.

2. Dear Ms. Peggy Dyer,
I want to take this opportunity to personally thank you for allowing Inkblot Marketing to submit
a campaign proposal to the American Red Cross. We have thoroughly researched your
organization and the target market and were able to put together a great campaign that will
attract the 18 to 24 year old segment.
The target market is part of the Millennial generation or Generation Y. As you will see, our
research shows that this generation is very philanthropic, and has a desire to make the world a
better place. Our proposed campaign will show them that blood donation is an excellent way
to do just that.
At Inkblot Marketing we understand the world of nonprofit organizations. We understand that
in the current economy many nonprofits have been forced to cut back their marketing budget.
We are experienced with a wide range of budgets and believe that we can get the American
Red Cross the most for their money.
Everyone at Inkblot Marketing is excited at the opportunity to work with a humanitarian
organization as large as the American Red Cross. We are committed to helping the Red Cross
gain and retain new blood donors.
I appreciate your time and consideration of the following proposed campaign. I am always
available to discuss anything enclosed, or to answer any questions you may have. I can be
reached at 304-663-8338. I look forward to hearing from you. Otherwise, I will contact your
office on June 20th to discuss the proposal in further detail. Thank you again for your time.
Sincerely,
Sarah I. Smith
Inkblot Marketing
304-663-8338
sismith@inkblot.com

3. Contents
About Inkblot Marketing-............................................................................................................ 1
Executive Summary- .................................................................................................................... 2
American Red Cross- ................................................................................................................... 3
Biomedical Services- ................................................................................................................ 3
Recruiting- ............................................................................................................................... 5
Competitors- ............................................................................................................................ 7
Target Market- ............................................................................................................................ 9
Demographics-......................................................................................................................... 9
Psychographics- ..................................................................................................................... 10
Philanthropy- ......................................................................................................................... 12
Blood Donation-..................................................................................................................... 13
SWOT Analysis-.......................................................................................................................... 14
Strengths- .............................................................................................................................. 15
Weaknesses- .......................................................................................................................... 15
Opportunities- ....................................................................................................................... 16
Threats- .................................................................................................................................. 16
Blood Donor Survey- ................................................................................................................. 18
Brand Positioning- ..................................................................................................................... 19
New Brand Positioning- ......................................................................................................... 21
Brand Personality- ..................................................................................................................... 22
Brand Perception Focus Group- ................................................................................................ 24
Strategy Statement- .................................................................................................................. 26
................................................................................................................................................ 26
Creative Brief-............................................................................................................................ 27
Media Plan- ............................................................................................................................... 28
Objectives- ............................................................................................................................. 28
Strategies and Tactics- ........................................................................................................... 28
Timeline Flowchart-................................................................................................................... 33
Budget- ...................................................................................................................................... 34
Communication Touch Points- .................................................................................................. 36
New Media- ........................................................................................................................... 36

4. Traditional Media- ................................................................................................................. 42
Public Relations- .................................................................................................................... 51
Internal Communications- ..................................................................................................... 55
Evaluation-................................................................................................................................. 56
Conclusion- ................................................................................................................................ 57
Appendix 1: Survey- .................................................................................................................. 58
Appendix 2- Focus Group Moderator’s Guide .......................................................................... 63
References ................................................................................................................................. 66

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About Inkblot Marketing-
The inkblot name is derived from a military strategy that involves using a small force to
subdue a large area over time. The small group starts by establishing multiple small areas and
then spreading out until the large area is under control. This is much like an inkblot spreading
over a sheet of paper. This applies to our agency because we are a small group of people that
can handle large scale campaigns.
Inkblot Marketing is a relatively new firm. We were established in 2009, and started
with only five people. While our agency is small, we are not short on talent. All five members
have Master’s degrees in Integrated Marketing Communications. We are also not lacking
experience. We have handled campaigns for a number of local chapters of nonprofits such as
the United Way, Habitat for Humanity, and a statewide anti-tobacco program called RAZE: Tear
Down Tobacco Lies. We have also handled multiple campaigns for West Virginia University.
Our agency is all inclusive. We can handle market research, branding, traditional media,
new media, word-of-mouth, viral marketing, direct mail, public relations, and large scale
events. We also have extensive knowledge of cause and multicultural marketing. In today’s
world companies employ a variety of marketing techniques. Inkblot Marketing understands the
need for all marketing efforts to be integrated. An integrated approach will serve to make a
brand more recognizable to the public, and reduce confusion.
Inkblot Marketing is ready to help you spread the word about your brand!

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Executive Summary-
One of the first steps to any great campaign is to know the ins and outs of the target
market. I believe that you will find we demonstrate that knowledge. As you will see, the
Millennial generation is unlike any group before them. Due to instant access to technology and
the internet, Millennials tend to be impatient as well as open to change. They are also self-
expressive and confident. These are all important psychographics in terms of targeting the
market. It will be important to appeal to their want to express themselves and to take their
impatients into consideration.
The proposed campaign is a hybrid of traditional advertising, new media, and public
relations. Because Millennials are so active on social networking sites and open to talking about
themselves, the campaign will take advantage of Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. On these
sites they will be able to make posts about themselves, specifically about their greatest
achievement in life.
The entire campaign will revolve around achievements. All print advertising,
commercials, social media, and public relations will involve great achievements. There will also
be a cell phone application and achievement point system. You will see all of these tactics in
full detail later in the proposal.

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American Red Cross-
The American Red Cross has a rich history of public service. The blood donor program
was established during World War II to aid the armed forces. They were able to collect 13.3
million pints of blood throughout the war. After wartime, the Red Cross introduced the first
nationwide civilian blood program. Since that time the American Red Cross continually collects
6.5 million pints of blood annually.1 They are “the largest single supplier of blood and blood
products in the United States, collecting and processing more than 40 percent of the blood
supply and distributing it to some 3,000 hospitals and transfusion centers nationwide.”2
Today, the American Red Cross is commissioned by the United States Congress to serve
in five areas- helping disaster victims, connecting armed forces with their families, teaching
lifesaving skills (such as CPR), collecting, testing, and supplying blood for the nation, and
partnering in international services. The American Red Cross has 36 blood service regions and
over 600 local chapters.3
Biomedical Services-
Blood donor and recipient safety is the highest priority for the Red Cross. They were the
first in implementing new tests for infectious diseases. Because of the Red Cross, donor blood
is now tested for HIV, Hepatitis B and C, West Nile Virus, T-cell lymphotropic virus and Chagas
disease. These tests protect blood recipients from contracting a disease. Donor protection is
also important. A short medical history and physical exam is given to ensure the safety of blood
donors. 4
Potential blood donors undergo a medical history and background check in order to
determine eligibility. Questions such as the medications they are taking, where they have
traveled, sexual behavior and drug use are asked. If the potential donor is not deferred in this
step, a short physical exam is given. This consists of checking blood pressure, temperature, and
pulse. A hemoglobin test is also performed to test for anemia. If the donor has passed all tests
and is deemed eligible to donate, about one pint of blood and several small test tubes of blood
are collected and labeled. The test tubes are tested at one of the Red Cross’s five laboratories.
The blood is checked for possible diseases and the blood is typed. The pint of blood (collected
in a blood bag) is quarantined until the results of the tests are finalized. After all tests have
been completed and the donated blood is judged to be acceptable, it is distributed to hospitals
Redcrossblood.org. (2011). About us. Retrieved from http://www.redcrossblood.org
1
Redcross.org. (2010). American Red Cross Biomedical Services. Retrieved from http://www.redcross.org
2
Redcross.org. (2011). Guide to Services. Retrieved from http://www.redcross.org
3
Redcrossblood.org (2011).
4

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to be used in medical procedures. The Red Cross continually monitors donated blood for any
reported adverse reactions through their hemovigilance program.5
The hemovigilance program is one of a kind. It was established in 2003 to monitor
adverse reactions to donated blood. “The data from this effort has been used to move the Red
Cross, and the entire blood industry, toward safer transfusions through changes in practices
and procedures.”6 Through this program it has been found that there may be adverse reactions
to using female donated plasma due to the antibodies produced during and after a woman
gives birth. Because of this male plasma is predominately used. This information is credited
with saving six lives a year. The program has also led to advances in bacterial safety, which has
decreased the number of septic transfusions.7
Up to three people can be treated with one pint of donated blood. In blood component
therapy, the donated blood can be broken down into specific components and given to multiple
people. The blood components are- Red blood cells, platelets, and plasma. Whole blood is the
name for the blood that has not been separated. Whole blood contains all of the previously
mentioned components, as well as white blood cells and is typically used in trauma and surgery.
Red blood cells are typically used to treat anemia, blood disorders such as sickle cell, and in
cases of blood loss such as surgery and trauma. Red blood cells carry oxygen to the body’s
tissues and help remove carbon dioxide. Platelets promote clotting and prevent bleeding.
Platelets are most commonly used during cancer treatments and organ transplants. Plasma is
used to treat burn victims, shock, and bleeding disorders. Plasma is 92 percent water, 7
percent vital proteins, and 1 percent mineral salts, sugars, fats, hormones, and vitamins.8
In order for a blood recipient to be
treated accurately, the blood must be
the correct type. There are four
different types of blood- A, B, AB, and O.
Blood also has an Rh factor that can
either be present (+) or absent (-). Rh
negative blood has to be given to Rh
negative patients, while Rh positive
patients may receive positive or
negative blood. O- blood can be given
to all blood types. People with O-
Chart 1- Donor/Recipient Chart
blood are known as universal donors.
AB+ recipients can receive blood from
Redcross.org. (2010).
5
Redcross.org. (2010).
6
Redcross.org. (2010).
7
Redcrossblood.org. (2011).
8

9. Page |5
all of the blood types. They are known as universal recipients. It is important that all other
recipients receive blood from specific types. Chart 1 shows the donor/recipient possibilities for
the different types of blood.9
Recruiting-
The American Red Cross is completely dependent on volunteers to donate blood. It is
estimated that while 38 percent of the United States’ population is eligible to donate blood,
less than 10 percent do so. “According to studies, the average donor is a college educated
white male, between the ages of 30 and 50, who is married and has an above average income.
However, a broad cross-section of the population donates every day.”10 The Red Cross has
begun actively recruiting racially diverse blood donors. This is done at the regional level. Some
examples of this include partnering with the Sickle Cell Disease Association to attract African
American blood donors, and advertising on donated air time by Telemundo to attract Hispanic
donors.
African American blood donors are particularly important, and rare. African American
blood is needed for a variety of reasons. There are four extremely rare blood types that are not
found in Caucasians. These blood types are U, Js(b), Cr(a), and At(a). There are three other rare
blood types that are found in Caucasians, but not with the frequency that they are found in
African Americans. These are Jk(b), Fy(a), and Fy(b). A blood bank in Louisiana screened 17,603
people over the course of eight years and only found 245 people with these blood types.11
There are also approximately 70,000 African Americans suffering from Sickle Cell Disease.
While other ethnicities can donate to these patients, they are less likely to have an adverse
reaction to blood from other African Americans. Lastly, there is a routine shortage of type O
and B blood. A higher percentage of African Americans have these two types of blood than any
other ethnicity. While 13 percent of the population is African American, less than 1 percent
donates blood.12 The American Red Cross currently operates The American Rare Donor
Program in collaboration with the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB), and the
American Red Cross Immunohematology Reference Laboratories. The program works to match
patients with rare blood types to one of their 35,000 registered donors.13
The American Red Cross is currently struggling to recruit eligible blood donors. Two
factors that are affecting recruitment are deferrals and the economy. The Red Cross places
ineligible blood donors on a deferral list. Deferrals can be short-term (until symptoms clear),
long-term (three months to a year), or permanent (not eligible to give blood ever). A study
Redcrossblood.com. (2011).
9
AABB.org. (2011). Advancing transfusion and cellular therapies worldwide. Retrieved from http://www.aabb.org
10
Lifeshare.org. (n.d.). Lifeshare Blood Centers. Retrieved from http://www.lifeshare.org
11
CGA.ct.gov. (2009). African-American blood facts to know and share. Retrieved from http://www.cga.ct.gov
12
Redcross.gov. (2010).
13

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conducted in 2000 found 13.6 percent of the 116,165 potential donors who attempted to give
blood were deferred. The largest amount of the deferrals, 68.5 percent, was short-term
deferrals and related to anemia. Travel to an area that has Malaria accounted for the second
largest percent of deferrals with 59 percent. This is a long-term deferral; as is a having a recent
tattoo or other nondrug related needle exposure. Tattoos accounts for 29 percent of the
deferrals. Permanent deferrals accounted for 10.5 percent of ineligible donors. Thirty-eight
percent of permanent deferrals were because of a risk of variant Cruetzfeldt-Jacob Disease
(vCJD), and 11 percent were due to emigration from a country that has Malaria. The study
found that, “Loss of units from both first time and repeat donors due to temporary deferral and
loss of units from miscollection are more common events than losses due to disease marker
testing. Some of these losses may be avoidable and could increase the blood supply without
having to recruit new donors.”14 This study was conducted in 2000. In 2002, The Red Cross
added more stringent guidelines concerning vCJD which placed additional potential donors on
permanent deferral.
The economy is also having a huge impact on blood donations. From economist’s point
of view, it might make sense for blood donations to increase in bad economies. As people lose
their jobs, their opportunity costs to donate blood goes down. In other words, they do not
have to miss work to donate. Unfortunately that is not the case. The Red Cross estimates that
up to 80 percent of donated blood comes from companies hosting blood drives. As companies
close their doors or significantly cut their workforce, there are less people available to donate.15
It is also believed that the stress of the recession makes people less likely to donate. When
people are upbeat and happy they are more likely to donate than when they are depressed or
stressed.16
There is also a seasonal shortage during the summer and winter. Severe winter weather
has a significant impact on blood donations. During the 2011 winter season, blood levels
dropped to their lowest in ten years. Between January 1st, 2011, and February 10th, 2011, over
750 blood drives were cancelled due to severe winter weather. This created a deficit of 28,000
pints of blood.17 The Red Cross depends heavily on college blood drives. During the summer
months, schools are not in session or have severely decreased attendance which negatively
impacts blood donations. Many workers take vacation days during the summer and are not at
work to participate in company blood drives. Summer vacations and increased outdoor
activities also interfere with regular donor’s routines and they may forget to donate.18
Johnson, C.B. et. Al. (2001). Quantifying losses to the donated blood supply due to donor deferral and
14
miscollection. Retrieved from http://www.traveldoctoronline.net
Healthcare Economist. (2009). Does a bad economy increase blood donation? Retrieved from
15
http://www.healthcare-economist.com
Kisken, T. (2009). Blood donations slow as economy slides. Retrieved from http://vcstar.com
16
Cherundolo, G. (2011). Winter weather leads to nationwide blood shortage. Retrieved from
17
http://www.accuweather.com
USAToday.com. (2004). Annual summer blood shortage came early this year. Retrieved from
18
http://www.usatoday.com

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One way the Red Cross attempts to overcome recruiting struggles is by the use of
incentives. “Donors in the United States are often recruited by widespread use of rewards of
incentives for donating blood, which may include t-shirts, event tickets, or opportunity
drawings for televisions and expensive cars.”19 However, the use of incentives is complicated.
The FDA prepared The Compliance Policy Guide in 2003 that requires some blood to be labeled
as “paid donor” when the donor receives an incentive. “Donations are considered paid if the
incentives are transferable, refundable, or redeemable for cash and a market exists for the
incentives.”20 For example, if football tickets are given as an incentive, the blood donated
would have to be labeled “paid donor” because the tickets can be sold. Incentives that cannot
be readily converted to cash do not need to bear this label. Red Cross branded items, such as t-
shirts, would not need the “paid donor” label.
In some cases incentives may repeal donors instead of attracting them. Many blood
donors donate for purely altruistic reasons. They wish to help others and to be seen as
humanitarians. In this case, offering incentives may discourage these donors. In a 2006 study,
it was found that blood donors with prosocial motivation refuse to enter into transactions that
would have an economic benefit for them, and would be insulted at the offer of an incentive.
Other studies have found that the offer of incentives is most appealing to donors at schools,
universities, and military sites. These donors are typically younger. Finally incentives may
produce more potential donors who will be deferred. “A survey conducted by Retrovirus
Epidemiology Donor Study (REDS) proved that donors who reported being encouraged to
donate by cash incentive were 1.6 times more likely to be at risk for infectious diseases.”21
Competitors-
The American Red Cross’s largest competitor is America’s Blood Centers. America’s
Blood Centers are located in 45 states and operate over 600 donor centers. They provide blood
to over 3500 hospitals and healthcare facilities and provide hospitals with the majority of
tissue, bone marrow, and stem cells. America’s Blood Centers have a community-based blood
banking philosophy. This means that donated blood is used in the local community. The
majority of their donated blood comes from corporate blood drives, followed by drives at
schools, civic groups, and faith-based organizations.22 Together the Red Cross and America’s
Blood Centers are the provider of almost 100 percent of the nation’s blood supply.
The Red Cross also faced competition from plasma banks that pay donors. This
competition is particularly fierce in today’s recession. Donors feel as though they are helping,
Abolghasemi, H. (2010). Blood donor incentives: A step forward or backward. Retrieved from
19
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Abolghasemi, H. (2010).
20
Abolghasemi, H. (2010).
21
America’s blood centers. (2011). About us. Retrieved from http://www.americasblood.org
22

12. Page |8
but they are also able to earn extra money. For example, at DCI Biological Center, which
operates in 11 states, donors can make up to $180 per month. Extra incentives are often given
to frequent donors. According to DCI, they have a wide range of clientele. They see people
who are struggling to pay their bills and those who would just like to earn a little extra money.23
Indirectly, the Red Cross faces competition from other philanthropic endeavors, as well
as events that take potential donor’s time. This can particularly be seen in the summer months
when vacations and summer activities decrease blood donations to a critical level. This is not
only a competition but also a struggle that must be overcome.
WWAY. (2008). Struggling economy helping to increase plasma donations. Retrieved from
23
http://www.wwaytv3.com

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Target Market-
The target market for this campaign is 18 to 24 years old. They are part of a new and
exciting generation known by many names. Whether you call them Generation Y, Millennials,
Echo Boomers, the iGeneration, or Net Gen they are a new force with a huge amount of buying
power and influence. In order for a traditional corporation or a nonprofit to exist in the coming
years, it is essential to reach this audience.
Demographics-
There is much debate about the exact dates that the Millennial generation incorporates.
The most widely accepted is those born between 1982 and 2002. This generation is 80 million
strong, and is projected to grow to 100 million with continued immigration.24
The Millennials are the largest
Millennials Demographics generation since the Baby Boomers.
All Other
Some refer to them as Echo Boomers
Races, 3%
since they are the children of the
Baby Boomers. They represent 25
Hispanic, percent of the population and are
Asian
19% comprised of 60 percent Caucasians,
American,
19 percent Hispanics, 14 percent
4%
Caucasian, African Americans, 4 percent Asian
African 60%
American,
Americans, and 3 percent classify
14% themselves as belonging to another
ethnic background. This break down
can be seen in Chart 2.
Chart 2- Millennials Demographics
Eleven percent of United States born
Millennials are the children of at
least one immigrant parent.25
Millennials are quickly becoming the most educated generation ever. “Among 18-24
year olds a record share, 39.6 percent, was enrolled in college as of 2008, according to census
data.”26 Fifty-four percent of Millennials have at least some college education. Unique to this
generation, women are surpassing men in terms of attending and graduating from college.
Brand mercenaries. (2008). Generation Y statistics. Retrieved from http://www.brandmercenaries.com
24
Met Life. (2010). Demographic profile: America’s gen y. Retrieved from http://www.metlife.com
25
Keeter, S., Taylor, P. (2010). Millennials: A portrait of generation next. Retrieved from
26
http://www.pewsocialtrends.org

14. P a g e | 10
Millennials are also less likely to have ever been married or have children, than other
generations at the same age. While 75 percent have never been married, many cite having a
family as important to them.27 Currently suburbs house 54 percent of Millennials, followed by
cities (32 percent) and rural areas (14 percent). While most Millennials currently live in
suburbs, it is believed that as they grow older and become homeowners that they will cluster in
urban areas. They prefer to live in racially and ethnically diverse communities.28 29
Psychographics-
Many adjectives have been used to describe this immense generation. Positively, they
have been described as confident, self-expressive, upbeat, and open to change. Negatively,
they have been described as entitled, skeptical, lazy, and impatient. Millennials as a whole, also
tend to be liberal.
There are many positive things about the Millennial generation. As mentioned above
they have been described as confident, self-expressive, upbeat, and open to change. Their
confidence has been attributed to parent involvement. They were, “raised by parents who
believed that successful parenting involved boosting young egos, instilling strong self-esteem,
and maximizing quality time.” Millennials are very self-expressive, and use multiple avenues to
express themselves. Forty percent of Millennials have a tattoo, and among those with tattoos,
50 percent have between two and five. Eighteen percent have over six tattoos. Although a
large percent of Millennials have tattoos, 70 percent say that their tattoos are hidden beneath
their clothes and are not visible to the everyday public. Another popular mode of self-
expression is social networking sites. Seventy-five percent have created an online social
networking profile on sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Twenty percent of Millennials have
posted videos of themselves online on sites such as YouTube.30
On the negative side of the spectrum, Millennials have been described as entitled,
skeptical, lazy and impatient. While parent involvement led to confidence, it is also blamed for
Millennials having a sense of entitlement. As a generation, Millennials were coddled by their
parents. Parents of this generation have been described as “helicopter parents”, meaning they
hover over every aspect of their child’s life. As children, Millennials were often rewarded for
participation. Everyone was considered a winner, whether they came in first or tenth. As
adults, many Millennials still believe that they should be considered winners regardless of
performance.31
Keeter, S., Taylor, P. (2010).
27
Keeter, S., Taylor, P. (2010).
28
Metlife.com. (2010).
29
Keeter,S., Taylor, P. (2010).
30
Keeter, S., Taylor, P. (2010).
31

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Millennials are a very skeptic generation. They are skeptical of traditional advertising
methods as well as everyday people. This is believed to be because of several factors such as
overprotective parents, growing up in the age of terrorism, and a media culture that focuses on
the negatives of human nature. Two-thirds of Millennials believe that you cannot be too
careful when dealing with people. Oddly, Millennials are less skeptical of their government
than generations before them.32
The Millennial generation has unfairly been described as lazy by past generations.
Thirty-seven percent of 18 to 29 year olds are unemployed or out of the workforce. This is the
highest percent of unemployment among that age group in over 30 years. However, this record
level of unemployment can be attributed to enrolling in college and therefore entering the
workforce later in life.33 The economy can also be blamed for record unemployment. Those
who have graduated from college or did not attend college are finding it difficult to find
employment during the recession. Previous generations may also characterize Millennials as
lazy due to the type of employment they have. Earlier generations’ work has involved physical
labor, while Millennials look for work that utilizes their advanced education.
Millennials impatience can be credited to advances in technology. With the advent of
high speed internet, 3G and 4G connectivity, and personal electronic devices such as cell
phones and PDAs, Millennials no longer have to wait for information. These inventions have
made Millennials expect instant gratification. A recent study was conducted that found that 65
percent of those 18 to 24 expect a website to load in under two seconds. If the site did not load
they would leave the site and were doubtful that they would return. The study also found that
Millennials were multitaskers and were likely to browse the internet with multiple windows
open at once.34 Millennials believe that their technology use sets them apart from previous
generations. Ninety-four percent of Millennials have a cell phone, and most treat it like a part
of them. They are rarely, if ever, without their cell phone.35
The Millennial generation is considered to be liberal. During the 2008 presidential
election, 48 percent of Millennials identified themselves as Democrats. This makes them the
least Republican generation in history. Millennials became very active in politics in 2008 and
turned out to vote in record numbers. President Barack Obama credits this generation for his
successful bid for the White House.36 Millennials are using social networks as a channel to
spread the word about their causes. In 2006, the top ten advocacy groups on Facebook
included topics such as gay rights and same sex marriage, women’s rights, stem cell research,
Keeter, S., Taylor, P. (2010).
32
Keeter, S., Taylor, P. (2010).
33
May, K. (2010). Generation Y expects travel sites to load in two second. Retrieved from http://www.tnooz.com
34
Metlife.com (2010).
35
ASAE. (2010). Generation Y (Millennials): digital, civic, and connected. Retrieved from
36
http://www.asaecenter.org

16. P a g e | 12
alternative energy, and teaching safe sex in schools.37 Millennials are also the least religious
generation. Twenty-five percent are unaffiliated with any religion.38
Chart 3, below contains a list of important historical events that has shaped Millennials.
1980s 1990s 2000s
• AIDS Discovered • Internet Born • Y2K
• Challenger Explosion • Cold War Ends • SARS
• Berlin Wall Falls • Waco • Anthrax Concern
• Hole in Ozone Layer • O.J. Simpson Trial • 9/11 Terror Attacks
Discovered • Monica Lewinsky • Hurricane Katrina
• Chernobyl Scandal • Enron
• Columbine Shooting • Iraq War
• Reality TV Boom • African American
President
Chart 3- Historical Events
Philanthropy-
According to 21 percent of Millennials, helping those in need is one of the most
important things in their life. They also cite the “desire to make the world a better place to
live” as their primary motivation for their charitable work.39 40 Millennials tend to prefer causes
that are tied to their communities or to them emotionally. For example, they are more likely to
support a charitable cause if it directly benefits their hometown or benefits a disease or aliment
suffered by a family member.41
Millennials are more likely to donate their time than their money. While 85 percent of
Millennials have donated their time at some point in their life, only one third has donated more
than $100 to a charity. This may change as the generation grows old and earns a larger salary.
Corvida. (2008). Generation Y: welcome to their world. Retrieved from http://www.readwriteweb.com
37
Keeter, S., and Taylor, P. (2010).
38
Metlife.com (2010).
39
Hudson, K. (2008). Millennials and philanthropy. Retrieved from http://www.millenialgeneration.org
40
Phillips, C. (2009). Millennials: How altruistic are they? Retrieved from http://millennialmarketing.com
41

17. P a g e | 13
However, Millennials will open their wallet for cause marketing. A record 94 percent of
Millennials approve of cause marketing and 53 percent have purchased a product that is
related to a cause marketing campaign within the last year.42 43
As of 2009, 200 million of Facebook’s users had supported at least one charitable cause
via Facebook’s Cause page. This helps spread the word to their friends about the cause.
However, only 185,000 contributed money to the cause. The average donation for Facebook
Causes is $25, and most causes do not get any donations. Less than 50 of the 179,000 causes
listed have generated $10,000 or more in donations via Facebook.44
Blood Donation-
In a recent survey about Millennials and blood donation conducted by Inkblot
Marketing, 56 percent of those 18 to 24 years old responded that they have never donated
blood. Of those respondents, the most common answer as to why they have not donated was
that they have “not been directly asked” followed by they were “too busy”. Survey
respondents said that they would be more likely to donate if it was more convenient or if they
were directly asked. These findings indicate that Millennials are not acutely aware of the need
for blood donation. Millennials are motivated by helping others, and blood donation is a deeply
personal way to help. The Red Cross must make blood donation convenient and make
Millennials feel personally invited to donate blood. It is essential that the Red Cross find a way
to cut through the clutter of a Millennials’ life. Many Millennials are enrolled in college. This
means they have classes, studying, and social events. They consider themselves to have very
little free time. On top of that, Millennials are exposed to hundreds of communication
messages every day in the form of multiple types of advertisements, social network status
updates, text messages, emails, and conversations with friends and family.
Phillips, C. (2009).
42
Fritz, S. (2010). Cause marketing speaks loudest to moms and millennials. Retrieved from
43
http://www.nonprofits.about.com
Phillips, C. (2009).
44

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SWOT Analysis-
A SWOT analysis is a visual representation of the American Red Cross’s strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The strengths and weakness are internal factors, such
as advertising campaigns and employee behaviors. Opportunities and threats are external
factors such as the weather.

19. P a g e | 15
Strengths-
The American Red Cross has many strengths; among them is the fact that they have a
long and established history. The American Red Cross has been in service for 130 years and is
the nation’s leading supplier of blood products. They also have over 600 local chapters that
work daily to help meet every community’s need for blood. This helps to produce trust and
reliance among the general public. As mentioned above, Millennials are most likely to donate
their time to organizations that operate in their local community. The Red Cross also has one of
the most easily recognizable logos. This serves to add instant recognizably to all local Red Cross
donation centers as well as all communications sent to the public, including all advertisements.
The Red Cross has a loyal following of supporters. This includes both recurring blood
donors as well as volunteers. This means that, even though it may not be an adequate supply,
there will continually be blood donations made at the Red Cross. The Red Cross understands
how to use new media to communicate their message. This has recently been seen in the use
of donations via text message during large scale natural disasters. They also have social
networking profiles on Facebook and Twitter, as well as a YouTube page. This is a great way to
communicate with the Millennial generation, and more importantly, allow them to
communicate with you. Social networking is all about two-way conversations. Another way the
Red Cross utilizes advances in technology is their online scheduling system. This allows
potential donors to schedule an appointment to donate blood. This system should be
publicized. Many Millennials cited being too busy to donate blood and that it was not
convenient as reasons they did not donate. Scheduling an appointment to donate would make
donating blood more convenient for potential donors. They could easily make time in their
schedule to donate if they knew they would not have a long wait to donate.
Weaknesses-
As strong as the Red Cross is, they do have several weaknesses. The biggest weakness
or problem is the continued struggle to attract new and repeat donors. While the Red Cross
does have a loyal following of frequent blood donors, they need new donors to supply America
with the amount of blood needed, especially with the advances in medical science which have
led to an increase in surgical procedures and more elective surgery. This is also a problem
during the summer and winter months. These new donors need to be converted to recurring
lifelong donors. Attracting new donors is difficult for a number of reasons; one of them being
that blood donation is a scary process for those who have not experienced it before. Attracting
new blood donors, especially Millennials may be difficult due to the recent overshadowing of
the blood donor program by the Red Cross’s text message donation campaign for large natural
disasters such as the 2011 earthquake in Japan. Donating by text message gave Millennials a
great opportunity to support the relief efforts. However, they also started to equate the Red

20. P a g e | 16
Cross with the campaign instead of with blood donations. When asked “Have to ever donated
to the Red Cross?” during a recent Inkblot Marketing focus group about blood donation
involving 18 to 24 year olds, many of the respondents said yes. When probed, “What did you
donate?” respondent said they donated $10 as part of a text messaging campaign. Millennials
need to be reminded that the Red Cross also operates a blood donation program and how
important it is to America. The importance to local communities should be exemplified.
Another weakness is that the American Red Cross does not have a unified national
advertising campaign. While recommendations are made at the national level, advertising is
done at the service regions. A uniformed national campaign would have more resources (time,
personnel, and money) and a wider reach. From an integrated marketing stand point, a
national campaign would send a consistent message to Millennials everywhere. It would unify
the voice of the American Red Cross.
Opportunities-
The American Red Cross has several opportunities to improve their recruitment of 18 to
24 year olds. Currently, many blood drives are held on college campuses. This should continue
and increase. Advertising around these events should also be increased. Donors cannot attend
the blood drives if they are not aware of when and where they are being held. New media
channels such as social networking sites can help publicize local blood drives and effectively
reach the target market. These sites can also be used to personally invite potential donors to
blood drives. As stated above, many Millennials identified not being directly asked as the
reason that they do not donate blood. Millennials are a charitable generation, and have the
desire to help others. They just need to be better informed about how to do so.
We at Inkblot Marketing believe that the Red Cross can turn new donors into repeat
donors by making their experience a pleasant one. This can be done by training employees and
volunteers. They should be friendly, upbeat, positive, and thankful for the donor’s time and
effort. While Millennials have the desire to help others, they also like to be recognized for their
efforts. By making the donation experience positive, donors are more likely to return and
become lifelong donors.
Threats-
The American Red Cross faces direct competition from other blood donation centers.
Their largest competitor is America’s Blood Centers. Together, the Red Cross and America’s
Blood Centers donated almost 100 percent of the blood used in America. There are also other
smaller community blood centers. Plasma banks that pay clients are also direct threats,
especially during the economic recession. Donors may find being paid to donate their plasma

21. P a g e | 17
tempting while they are struggling to pay their bills. The economy poses other problems for the
Red Cross as well. Many businesses are shutting their doors or laying off a large number of
employees. This is causing the cancellation of corporate blood drives, and therefore reducing
the quantity of blood collected.
The weather also produces threats to the Red Cross. Severe weather, such as blizzards,
forces the cancellations of blood drives. This is apparent in the winter months when the blood
supply often sinks to critically low numbers. The summer months also pose a threat to the
blood supply. In the summer, many people take vacations and their schedule is disrupted. They
forget to give blood. Life also occasionally gets in the way of donating blood. People find
themselves busy with daily life. For Millennials this may mean school, studying, work, and
spending time with family and friends. It is important that the conveniences of giving blood are
highlighted in campaigns that target Millennials.

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Blood Donor Survey-
Inkblot Marketing conducted a short online survey about the American Red Cross and
blood donation over the course of 20 days. The survey was aimed at collecting responses from
18 to 24 year olds, and determining their feeling about the Red Cross and blood donation in
general. The survey consisted of 10 questions. In total, 65 responses were gathered. Thirty of
the responses were from the target market. Of the respondents in the target market, two
thirds were female. The following information only pertains to the responses by the target
market (i.e. those 18 to 24 years old). Several of the questions allowed respondents to select all
answers that applied. This accounts for some totals being over 100 percent.
Through the survey we were able to determine that 56 percent of 18 to 24 year olds
have not donated blood. This is a huge untapped market for the Red Cross. When asked, “I do
not donate blood because…” the top three answers were that they have not been directly
asked, they are scared of needles, and that they are too busy. When asked, “I would be more
likely to donate blood if…” the overwhelming answer was if it was more convenient. Fifty-two
percent of respondents cited added convenience as something that would make them more
likely to donate blood to the American Red Cross. The survey asked what, if any, incentives
would make the respondents more likely to donate blood. Fifteen of the thirty respondents (50
percent) answered that a coupon or gift card to a local restaurant would make them more likely
to donate blood. However, under FDA regulations blood collected at blood drive that gave
away coupons or gift cards would have to be marked as “paid donor”.
Forty-three percent of the survey’s respondents have donated blood. When asked, “I
donate blood because…” the top two answers were to help my community (69 percent) and
that it made them feel good about themselves (53 percent). These answers show the target
market’s prosocial altruistic motives concerning blood donation. Studies have shown that
those who donate blood for purely altruistic reasons may be put off by the offer of incentives.
However, the same study showed that young college aged donors is the most likely group to be
motivated by the offer of an incentive. Red Cross branded items such as t-shirts, buttons, hats,
and the like are recommended as incentives for the target audience. These incentives will show
gratitude to the audience but will not require the blood to be marked as “paid donor”. The
incentive is also not large enough to offend those donating for altruistic reasons.
All survey questions and answers are available in Appendix 1. The answers will only
include the answers of those 18 to 24 years old.

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Brand Positioning-
The American Red Cross’s core purpose is “Empowering people in America to perform
extraordinary acts in the face of emergency situations.” Their core purpose never changes.
Their brand positioning statement can change over time as the brand changes in the minds of
consumers. The current brand positioning statement is- “Be a part of a life-changing
experience. When emergencies strike, lives can suddenly take a different path. When you rise
to meet the challenge everyone’s life begins changing for the better- including your own.” All
advertising and communications are designed with the brand positioning in mind. Below are
communication pieces that were made under the current positioning statement.
Picture 1, is an advertisement piece that can be
found on the American Red Cross Blood Donors
Facebook page. The ad is designed to look like a
piece of corkboard, similar to something that may
be in a college dorm room. It features pictures of
smiling people who appear to be in the target
market; other things, such as to do lists and movie
ticket stubs are “tacked” to the corkboard. The ad
features the American Red Cross blood donor
tagline- “The need is constant. The gratification is
instant. Give blood.”45
Picture 1- American Red Cross Facebook Advertisement
American red cross blood donors. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.facebook.com
45

24. P a g e | 20
Picture 2, is a current print
advertisement for the American
Red Cross. For this ad, the Red
Cross partnered with The
Vampire Diaries, a television
show on The CW. The ad is very
simple. Again, it features the
blood donor tagline. The ad
shows three vampires from the
show laying in the grass, and the
copy reads, “Starve a Vampire.
Donate Blood.” While vampires
typically have negative
connotations, and would not
normally be equated to the Red
Cross’s program, their popularity
has recently soared with those in
the Millennial generation thanks
Picture 2- American Red Cross Vampire Diaries Advertisement
to popular books, movies, and television shows.46
Picture 3, shows a Red Cross billboard
advertisement. The ad features a white
background, with multiple people
holding red paper in the shape of the
Red Cross’s cross logo. The copy reads,
“We can’t help without you.” This ad is
very simple and plays into the
Millennials’ need to feel special and
needed.47
Picture 3- American Red Cross Billboard
Gallagher, D. (2009). Vampire dairies’ cross promotion could inspire more TV charities. Retrieved from
46
http://www.aoltv.com
Jackson Marketing Group. (2011). American Red Cross Outdoor. Retrieved from http://www.jacksonmg.com
47

25. P a g e | 21
New Brand Positioning-
Inkblot Marketing believes that the current brand positioning does not effectively
resonate with the 18 to 24 year old market. We propose the following positioning statement.
“There is only one volunteer act that can directly save a life. Blood is the life force that
connects us all. Getting to save a life is an extraordinary opportunity.” We believe that the
new brand positioning will more effectively reach the target demographic.
The proposed position touches on many of the characteristics of the Millennial
generation. They are charitable, and wish to help those in need and better their communities.
However, they do not think of giving blood as volunteering. They are more likely to donate
their time and energy than their money. This statement is aimed at illustrating that blood
donation is the most important form of volunteering. Millennials are also considered always
connected. They are connected to the web, to their personal electronic devices, and most
importantly they are always connected to each other. This positioning statement plays on that
connection. Millennials are connected to each other 24/7 by technology and their social
networking accounts, but they are also always connected by their shared life force that is blood.
Richard Titmuss famously said about blood,
“There is a bond that links all men and women in the world so
closely and intimately that every difference of color, religious
belief, and cultural heritage is insignificant beside it. Never
varying in temperature more than five or six degrees, composed
of 55 percent water, the life stream of blood that runs in the veins
of every member of the human race proves that the family of man
is a reality.”
Millennials grew up believing that they are all special no matter what. This positioning
statement touches on that as well. It frames blood donation as an extraordinary act or
opportunity; something that only someone special would be capable of doing. We believe that
basing advertising and communications around this proposed brand positioning will have a
greater impact of recruiting blood donors in the 18 to 24 year old demographic.

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Brand Personality-
The American Red Cross currently describes their brand personality as- passionate,
genuine, human, and trustworthy. This is a good brand personality; however it is not currently
working to attract the target market. Inkblot Marketing proposes a new brand personality to
go with the new brand positioning statement. The proposed words to describe the American
Red Cross’s brand personality are- Connected, Dynamic, Passionate, and Straight-forward. We
believe that the new personality will have a bigger impact on the 18 to 24 year old target
market.
Connected-
As is seen throughout this proposal, being connected is essential to Millennials. They
are always connected to the internet and each other. Using connected to describe the Red
Cross’s brand personality is two-fold. It refers to the connection they have with the public via
their services and their new media usage as well as the connection they bridge between blood
donors and recipients.
Dynamic-
Dynamic has multiple meanings; it means being adaptable to change and forceful
action. In the Red Cross’s industry of providing blood products, responding to natural disasters,
connecting military personnel to their families, and teaching lifesaving procedures it is essential
to be adaptable to change. The Red Cross has proved its ability to change in numerous ways
such as adapting to policy changes, new medical technology, using new media channels, and
targeting a new market. The forceful action definition also applies. Whenever there is a
disaster, the Red Cross is the first to spring into action. The dynamic characteristic will appeal
to Millenials because they grew up and are living in a rapidly changing world. They are adapting
to new technologies constantly.
Passionate-
Passionate is a holdover from the old set of brand personality traits. This is not an
accident; the American Red Cross is passionate! They are passionate about everything they do,
especially collecting blood donations. They provide a unique lifesaving service to America.
Their passion will resonate with Millennials. The Millennial generation appreciates passion,
particularly in their companies. They actively support cause marketing, especially when they
are also passionate about the cause.
Straight-forward-
Being straight-forward or transparent is an important brand personality trait to boast
when trying to attract the Millennial generation. Millennials are a skeptical group. They are
cautious of people, companies, and advertising. Being open, honest, and straight-forward

27. P a g e | 23
about how and where donated blood is used, policies and procedures, and fundraising will go a
long way to gain the trust of the target market. Millennials may remember the controversies
surrounding the Red Cross and 9/11. Being transparent is now more important than ever.

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Brand Perception Focus Group-
Inkblot Marketing recently held a focus group to discuss the American Red Cross and
blood donation. The group consisted of seven individuals and was made up of three women
and four men. Everyone in the group was in the target market. Participants were in the older
half of the target market. They were all between the ages of 21 and 24. Contributors were not
given an incentive to participate.
Through the focus group, we uncovered that the Red Cross’s recent success with text
message based donation for large natural disasters such as earthquakes in Haiti and Japan have
overshadowed their work in blood services. When asked, “What comes to mind when you hear
about the Red Cross?” most of the participants responded that natural disaster relief or their
text message campaign came to mind first. This trend continued when asked, “Have you ever
donated to the Red Cross?” Many of the participants said that they had donated, but when the
answers were probed with “What did you donate?” they said $10 via their text message
campaign. Six of the seven participants had donated blood at some point in their life, but when
asked about donation the text message campaign was first in their minds.
As mentioned, six of the seven focus group participants had donated blood at some
point in their life. They all said that they have positive feelings towards blood donation even
though they did not all have positive experiences donating. Two of the participants said that
they found the employees or volunteers running the blood drives they attended to be rude or
rushed. They did not feel as though their donations were appreciated because of the way they
were treated. One of them said they felt like, “herded cattle.” They had a long wait time, and
then felt as though they were rushed out too quickly after their donation to make room for
others. Another participant had a particularly bad donation experience. The nurse or
phlebotomist attempting to draw her blood was unable to find a vein. They attempted to
locate a vein multiple times in each arm until she told them to stop. She was then told not to
worry about coming back another day to try again. If donors have a negative donation
experience they are not likely to come back. Millennials are impatient and rarely give
companies a second chance to win them over.
When asked about the incentives used by the Red Cross to attract donors, most of the
participants said they did not need an incentive to donate; however, most of them had been
given one when they donated. When probed about what they thought about the incentive
given they all “loved” getting a free t-shirt. When asked if they would enjoy other Red Cross
branded items they agreed that they would. While it is not quite an incentive, everyone liked
the “I donated blood today” stickers. They wore them out and believed that strangers treated
them nicer. This shows that while they may have donated for altruistic reasons in the
beginning, they did enjoy recognition and praise for their efforts.
Inkblot Marketing wondered about peer pressure. When asked, “On a scale of 1-10,
how influenced by peer pressure are you?” the participants were torn. At first, many of the

29. P a g e | 25
participants shook their head no, indicating that they were not influenced by peer pressure.
However upon given a moment to think, many of them decided that they were moderately
influenced, giving answers between 4 and 6. When this question was probed, and asked,
“Would you be more likely to donate if a friend asked you to or went with you?” all of the
participants responded with an overwhelming yes. This is a concept that needs to be expanded
on and possibly used in marketing strategies. Advertising using the idea of donating blood in a
buddy system may not only appeal to Millennials, but also double the number of potential
donors that attend blood drives.
The focus group moderator’s guide, complete will all of the questions asked during the
group is available in Appendix 2.

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Strategy Statement-
Rational Benefits Emotional Benefits
• We save lives
• I feel good about myself
• We better our community
• I get praise or recognition
• We are responsible
• I get increased self-esteem
• Blood is always needed
• I get a sense of satisfaction
• I can influence others
• We connect others
• We help others
• I can promote kindness
• We help friends and family
memebers
We are in this together!
The new integrated communication strategy statement of the American Red Cross is, “We are
in this together!” This combines the rational and emotion benefits of donating blood.
Everyone benefits from the exchange, and it promotes the continued connected theme.

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Creative Brief-
Why are we advertising? We are advertising to increase blood donations and retention among
18 to 24 year olds.
Whom are we talking to? We are talking to those 18 to 24.
What do they currently think? They currently believe that blood donation is a positive thing,
but they do not consider it enough to think of donating.
What would we like them to think? We would like them to think of the Red Cross blood donor
program more in general. We would also like them to think that donating blood is their
responsibility and an easy way to contribute to their community.
What is the single most persuasive idea we can convey? That donating blood is the only act of
volunteerism that can directly save a life and that blood connects all of us to each other.
Why should they believe it? That we are in this together.
What is the personality we want to convey? The brand personality is connected, dynamic,
passionate, and straight-forward.
Are there any Sacred Cows? There are many regulations about the Red Cross logo. Do not alter
it in any way. There are also only select colors that should be used in any communications.
Media Needs? Social networking, mobile marketing, print ads, commercials, and PR

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Media Plan-
The proposed plan is based around the concept of achievements. The tagline for the
campaign is “Life is full of great achievements, but are any better than saving a life?” The
concept of achievements will be used across all marketing platforms. Social media channels will
be used to ask the target audience about their own great achievements. These answers will
then be turned into a commercial.
Objectives-
• Increase the awareness of the American Red Cross’s blood donation program and the
need for blood by at least 50 percent among the target audience (18-24 year olds) over
the course of the next 12 months.
• Increase the number of new donors by at least 35 percent among the target audience
over the course of the next 12 months.
• Increase to number of repeat donors by at least 15 percent among the target audience
over the course of the next 12 months.
Strategies and Tactics-
Strategy 1- The campaign will use new technology and social media to reach the target
audience.
Tactics-
• Application and Achievement Point System- We propose that a system of
achievement points should be created. These points would be directly linked to
blood donation achievements and would be redeemable for free promotional
items that Millennials would find appealing. Achievement points have been a
large part of recent video games enjoyed by Millennials. Earning achievement
points will fuel repeat donations and appeal to the target market because they
have become used to being congratulated or earning accolades for their

33. P a g e | 29
participation. The achievement points will be tracked on the application and
online.
A cell phone application will be created that will be available in the Apple App
Store and Android Market. This means it will be available for the iPhone, iPad,
iPod Touch, and all mobile devices that utilize the Android operating system.
The app will allow users to search for blood drives in their area and to schedule
an appointment. They will also be able to send invitations to attend the blood
drive to their friends through social media channels, text, and email. The app
will also be responsible for helping users keep track of and share their
achievement points. Users will be able to redeem their points for free items that
will appeal to the target market. Finally, the app will feature links to the
American Red Cross’s Facebook page, Twitter feed, YouTube page, and
WordPress blog. This tactic will appeal to the target market because they
consider their cell phones an extension of their body, and enjoy customizing
their phone with apps. Millennials also consider their time to be at a premium.
The app will allow them to quickly and easily find a blood drive and schedule an
appointment regardless of where they are.
• Facebook- Seventy-five percent of Millennials have a social networking account,
and that makes Facebook a perfect place to target the 18 to 24 year old market.
The American Red Cross already has a presence on Facebook, but it needs to
slightly altered for this campaign. The profile picture will be changed to
integrate the page with other advertising avenues. A discussion page will also be
added for users to post their personal achievements. A Facebook ad will run for
three months. Targeting the 18 to 24 year old audience with a Facebook ad will
reach an estimated 56,944,740 people. The ad will direct users to the Facebook
page. They will have to ‘like’ the page in order to post about their achievements
and have a chance to be selected to be in a commercial. Once they ‘like’ the
page, status messages by the Red Cross will appear in their news feed. This will
help call attention to blood drives and newsworthy events.
• Twitter- Much like Facebook, the Red Cross already has a presence on Twitter.
The Red Cross currently has 459,305 followers on the national Twitter account.
There are also local Red Cross Twitter accounts. This tactic will focus on the
national account. Many people follow celebrities on Twitter. Because of this the
Red Cross should call upon their celebrity cabinet to send tweets on their behalf.
There are 12 celebrities in the cabinet that have active Twitter accounts and that
would appeal to the target audience. The 12 celebrities have 11,416,096
combined followers. The cabinet can be used to publicize the achievements
campaign and to make appeals for followers to donate blood.
A sponsored trending topic will also be used. Trending topics are used as
conversation starters. The top ten topics appear on users Twitter homepages.

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Sponsoring a topic makes it appear at the top of the list. Topics are marked with
hashtags (#). The sponsored trending topic will be ‘#GreatestAchievement’ and
will run for seven days. The responses to the trending topic will be saved and
potentially used in the commercial mentioned above.
• YouTube- Inkblot Marketing believes that YouTube can be beneficial to the
American Red Cross in several different ways. A YouTube Brand Channel will be
created. This will give the Red Cross page a more professional look and unlock
advanced options. A video giving users a mock walkthrough of the donation
process will be posted. This video will help give prospective new donors a sense
of familiarity with the process and put them at ease. A video call to action will
also be posted. This video will feature a celebrity cabinet member appealing for
users to upload videos describing their greatest achievements for a chance to
have the video appear in a future commercial. As the campaign progresses,
YouTube can also be used to post newsworthy events.
• WordPress Blog- Millennials are most likely to get their news from the internet.
A company blog allows the Red Cross to self-report the things that are taking
place. There are 36 divisions. Each division should be responsible for posting at
least one post about the things that are taking place in that division. A high level
member of the Red Cross should also participate in the blog. This will help add
to the transparency of the company.
Strategy 2- The campaign will use traditional media vehicles to reach the target audience.
Tactics-
• Print Advertising- Print advertising will take place in five different magazines
that appeal to the target market. These ads will appear three times in each of
the five magazines for a total of 15 print impressions. The magazines are Brides,
Cosmopolitan, Maxim, Glamour, and Men’s Fitness. There are four separate ads,
each appealing to the magazine specific audience.
• Commercials- Commercials have been selected to run during specific sporting
events. Fifty-four percent of Millennials have at least some college education.
Because of this commercials will run during college sporting event. A
commercial will air during the NCAA Division I Basketball Championship game
which saw 20.1 million viewers last year. Additionally commercials will air during
four BCS bowl games (Fiesta Bowl, Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl, and Sugar Bowl)

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which last year averaged 16.7 million views, and the BCS National Championship
game which had a record 27.3 million viewers last year. Finally, all of the user
generated “Great Achievement” Facebook discussion board posts, Twitter
trending topics, and YouTube videos will come together to make two :30 second
Super Bowl commercials. Last year, the Super Bowl had 111 million viewers.
• Direct Mail- During the Blood Donation survey, 30 percent of respondents said
that they do not donate blood because they have not been directly asked.
Twenty-three percent said that they would be more willing to donate if they
were directly asked. The simple solution is to ask them. Invitations will be sent
to incoming college freshmen. The invitations will congratulate them on their
recent achievement and then appeal to them to donate blood. There are an
estimated 1.8 million incoming college freshmen. Direct mail typically has a
response rate of about 3 percent which would be 54,000 new blood donors.
Strategy 3- The campaign will use Public Relations methods to increase the awareness of the
American Red Cross blood donor program and to gain new and repeat donors.
Tactics-
• Brand Ambassadors- Word-of-mouth is key to marketing to Millennials. They
are more likely to take the word of a peer than believe traditional advertising
methods. Brand ambassadors will be hired at the ten largest colleges (Arizona
State, Central Florida, Ohio State, Minnesota, Texas, Florida, Texas A&M, South
Florida, Michigan State, and Penn State) as well as seven traditional African
American colleges (Howard, Spelman, Morgan State, Morehouse, Hampton,
Grambling State, and Southern). It is important to individually target African
Americans in this tactic because they have a higher percentage of type O and B
blood, blood transfusions from African Americans agree with Sickle Cell patients
more so than transfusions from other ethnic backgrounds, and they possess four
highly rare unique blood types not found in any other ethnicity. Brand
ambassadors will hand out fact cards on their campus for one week (5 days).
The fact card will advertise a free gift bag give away if they bring the fact card to
a blood drive to donate. The gift bags will consist of Red Cross branded items
such as a drawstring back pack, pens, blood drop shaped stress ball, car bumper
sticker, T-shirt, and a thank you note. This tactic will help attract new donors.
• Dorm Door Tags- College dormitories have resident assistance. These RAs are
responsible for a floor of students. They typically place door tags on the
student’s door with their name. These are usually changed monthly. As a part
of this campaign, we will send custom made dorm room door tags in the shape
of blood bags to the dorms at the top ten largest colleges. These are the same

36. P a g e | 32
colleges that employed brand ambassadors. This will act as a daily reminder to
give blood and raise awareness.
• News Releases- News releases will be sent to media outlets detailing parts of the
campaign. The first press release will detail the social media usage and potential
to have your online presence appear in a Super Bowl commercial. A
backgrounder and key contact information will be sent along with the news
releases.

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Timeline Flowchart-
Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June July As Needed
Strategy Tactic
New Media Application
Achievement Points
Facebook Page
Facebook Discussion
Facebook Ads
Twitter Page
Trending Topic
Celebrity Twitter Use
YouTube Page
Walkthrough Video
Achievement Video CTA
Blog
Traditional Media Brides
Cosmopolitan
Maxim
Glamour
Men's Fitness
NCAA Champ Commercial
Fiesta Bowl Commercial
Orange Bowl Commercial
Rose Bowl Commercial
Sugar Bowl Commercial
BCS Champ Commercial
Super Bowl Commercial
Direct Mail Invitations
Public Relations Brand Ambassadors
News Releases
Door Tags
Internal Training
Blog
Skype for Business
Toolkit

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Budget-
Estimated Estimated Estimated
Category Notes
Quanity Cost per Unit Subtotal
New Media
Application 2 $75,000.00 $150,000.00 Apple and Android
Achievement Pts Program N/A $0.00 $0.00 Agency Prepared
Branded Flash Drive 5000 $6.99 $34,950.00 Redeemable w/app pts
Branded Water Bottle 5000 $4.99 $24,950.00 Redeemable w/app pts
Branded Travel Coffee Mug 5000 $5.49 $27,450.00 Redeemable w/app pts
Branded T-Shirts 5000 $5.19 $25,950.00 Redeemable w/app pts
Branded Can Koozie 5000 $1.49 $7,450.00 Redeemable w/app pts
Branded Laptop Bag 5000 $24.99 $124,950.00 Redeemable w/app pts
Facebook Page 1 $0.00 $0.00 Agency Prepared
Facebook Discussion 1 $0.00 $0.00 Agency Prepared
Facebook Ads 90 $1.16 $45,000.00 Daily Max $500, Max bid $1.16
Twitter Page 1 $0.00 $0.00 Agency Prepared
Sponsored Trending Topic 7 $120,000.00 $840,000.00
Celebrity Twitter Use N/A $0.00 $0.00 Celebrity Cabinet
YouTube Brand Channel 1 $250,000.00 $250,000.00
Walkthrough Video 1 $0.00 $0.00 Agency Prepared
Achievement Video 1 $0.00 $0.00 Agency Prepared
Blog 1 $77.00 $77.00 Add-ons
Web Designer 1 $16,000.00 $16,000.00
Subtotal $461,127.30 $1,546,777.00
Traditional
Brides Magazine 3 $82,204.00 $246,612.00
Cosmo Magazine 3 $237,000.00 $711,000.00
Maxim Magazine 3 $258,545.00 $775,635.00
Glamour Magazine 3 $202,976.00 $608,928.00
Men's Fitness Magazine 3 $73,475.00 $220,425.00
NCAA Champ Commercial 1 $1,222,000.00 $1,222,000.00
BCS Bowl Commercials 4 $669,000.00 $2,676,000.00
BCS Champ Commercial 1 $1,140,000.00 $1,140,000.00
Super Bowl Commercial 2 $2,974,000.00 $5,948,000.00
Direct Mail Invitations 1.8M $0.50 $900,000.00 Inc. lists, printing, shipping
Subtotal $6,859,200.50 $14,448,600.00

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Public Relations
Brand Ambassadors 119 $800.00 $95,200.00 $20/hr for 5 days
Fact Sheet Flyers 200,000 $0.00 $0.00 Agency Prepared
Door Tags 105,000 $0.35 $36,750.00
News Releases N/A $0.00 $0.00 Agency Prepared
Gift Bags 184210 $7.46 $1,374,245.32
Subtotal $807.81 $1,506,195.32
Internal Communications
Training Manual N/A $0.00 $0.00 Agency Prepared
Internal Blog 1 $33.00 $33.00
Skype Enterprise 636 $5,717.64 $68,611.68 $8.99/each/month
Toolkit N/A $0.00 $0.00 Agency Prepared
Subtotal $5,750.64 $68,644.68
Evaluation
Get Clicky N/A $149.99 $149.99 Social Media and Web
Webpage Roadblock N/A $0.00 $0.00 Inc. in Web Designer Fee
App Tracking N/A $0.00 $0.00
Subtotal $149.99 $149.99
Other
Agency Fee N/A $1,800,000.00 $1,800,000.00
Subtotal $1,800,000.00 $1,800,000.00
Total $9,127,036.24 $19,370,366.99

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Communication Touch Points-
Below you will find all of the creative pieces for the proposed campaign. They are
separated by strategy.
New Media-
Image 1- Application Main Page Image 2- Application Donate Menu Image 3- Application Achievements
The application and achievement points are the central focus of the
campaign and will run through the entire campaign. Images 1
through 4 feature the cell phone application. Image 1 shows the
app’s main page. The links on the main page are “Donate” where
users can schedule an appointment to donate, “Invite Friends”
where users can send friends invitations to join them at a blood
drive, “Achievements” where achievement points are tracked and
logged, “Redeem Points” where achievement points can be
redeemed for Red Cross branded items, and links to keep track of
the Red Cross across social networks. Image 2, shows the screen to
find a local blood drive and make an appointment. Image 3 shows
the achievement screen. There are currently 23 individual
achievements that range in points from 5 to 15. Users also get 1
achievement point every time they donate. The achievements are as
Image 4- Application Points
followed-

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• Lifesaver (First Donation)- 5 points
• 5 times over (Donate 5 times)- 5 points
• Power of 10 (Donate 10 times)- 5 points
• Venti (Donate 20 times)- 5 points
• One Man Army (Donate 35 times/105 potential lives saved)- 10 points
• Punctual (Donate 56 days later)- 10 points
• Perfect Attendance (Donate every 56 days three times in a row)- 15 points
• Bag for two, please (Bring a friend)- 10 points
• Social Butterfly (Bring multiple friends)- 15 points
• ARC of life (Donate at a Red Cross building)- 5 points
• Reading, Writing, and Donating (Donate at a school)- 5 points
• Bless You (Donate at a place of worship)- 5 points
• Lunch Hour (Donate at a work place)- 5 points
• Hometown Hero (Donate at a community drive)- 5 points
• I Get Around (Donate at all of the above places)- 10 points
• Ring Leader (Hold a blood drive)- 10 points
• Got Blood? (Donate a gallon of blood)- 10 points
• Half Full (Donate a quart of blood)- 10 points
• Warm Blooded (Donate during the Summer)- 15 points
• Polar Bear (Donate during the Winter)- 15 points
• Rojo Grande (Donate double red blood cells)- 10 points
• LIKE (Like the Red Cross Facebook page)- 5 points
• Follow the Leader (Follow the Red Cross Twitter account)- 5 points
When a user donates they will be entered in the computer database and then sent unique
codes via email or text message to unlock the correct achievements.

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Facebook-
Image 5- Facebook Main Page
Image 6- Facebook Achievement Page

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Image 5 and 6, above, show the proposed Facebook page. The profile picture features
the campaign tagline, “Life is full of great achievements, but are any better than saving a life?”
Users will be directed to the discussion page via posts and ads to leave posts about their
achievements for potential use in a Super Bowl commercial.
Image 7- Facebook Ad
This Facebook ad will appear on the right sidebar of Facebook for three nonconsecutive
months. When clicked on it will guide users to the Facebook page. Users must ‘like’ the page in
order to post on the discussion board. After they ‘like’ the page, updates from the Red Cross
will appear on the users Facebook news feed. Currently, 62,069 people like the American Red
Cross Blood Donors Facebook page. Facebook estimates that by targeting those 18 to 24 years
old that this Facebook ad will reach an estimated 56,944,640 people. By advertising to that
many people, the number of people who like the page will raise considerably.

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Twitter-
Image 8, left, shows a picture of
the propose Twitter page. As you
can see, it has the same profile
picture. All social media outlets
should utilize the same profile
picture for the sake of continuity.
Celebrity Cabinet members that
are active on Twitter and would
appeal to the target market should
be used to retweet important
information and to appeal to their
followers to donate blood. A list
of these celebrities is as followed-
Image 8- Twitter Page
• Daddy Yankee (@dynation)- Singer (1,174,604 followers)
• Niki Taylor (@NikiTaylorInc)- Model (11,138 followers)
• Raven-Symoné (@MissRaven-Symone)- Actress (241,145 followers)
• David Spade (@DavidSpade)- Actor (1,017,234 followers)
• Darius Rucker (@DariusRucker)- Singer (83,213 followers)
• Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano)- Actress (1,719,923 followers)
• Demi Lovato (@ddlovato)- Actress (3,664,953 followers)
• Heidi Klum (@heidiklu)- Model (60,640 followers)
• LL Cool J (@llcoolj)- Singer/Actor (1,469,399 followers)
• Rascal Flatts (@rascalflatts)- Music Group (216,427 followers)
• Josh Duhamel (@joshduhamel)- Actor (86,798 followers)
• Miley Cyrus (@mileycyrus)- Actress/Singer (1,670,622 followers)
Together these celebrities have a Twitter following of 11,416,096. Please note, the follower
count is of July 14th, 2011.

45. P a g e | 41
Image 9, is of the proposed sponsored
Twitter trending topic. The topic is
#GreatestAchievement. This will prompt
Twitter users to write about their greatest
achievements, or things that they
consider being great achievements. This
will be of particular interest to the target
market because they enjoy talking about
themselves. This will give them an outlet
to brag about their accomplishments. As
with the Facebook discussion page, some
trending topics may be used in the Super
Bowl commercial.
Image 9- Sponsored Trending Topic
YouTube-
Image 10, shows a picture of the
proposed YouTube headline banner.
The brand channel will be designed by
a professional web designer and will
have a custom background and add-
ons.
A video featuring movie star and
American Red Cross celebrity cabinet
member, Josh Duhamel will be used
to request users submit videos about
their greatest achievements. These
videos will be used in the Super Bowl
commercial.
Image 10- YouTube Channel

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Traditional Media-
Print Advertisements-
Image 11, is a print advertisement for
Brides magazine. It features achievements
in history that pertain specifically to brides
and marriage. The ads purpose is to show
that while life is full of great achievements,
none of them are better than saving a life.
The ad features a custom QR code that is
made even more unique by the blood drop
in the center. The QR code leads to the
mobile website to schedule an appointment
to donate. The copy at the bottom reads,
“Go to redcrossblood.org or download the
Blood Donor app to schedule an
appointment and start saving lives today.”
Of course, the American Red Cross logo is
also present. This ad will run in March,
April, and May when brides are preparing
for their June weddings.
Image 11- Brides Magazine Ad
Image 12 will be used as the ad for
Cosmopolitan and Glamour magazines.
The ad will run in Cosmo December,
January, and February and in Glamour
April, May, and June. The ad is designed
to appeal to women 18 to 24 years old.
The ad follows the same format as the
previous ad, as will all following print
advertisements. Cosmo has a readership
rate of 3,046,000 with 33.1 percent being
in the 18 to 24 year old market. Glamour
averages approximately the same figures.
Image 12- Cosmopolitan and Glamour Ad