The Australian Bone Marrow Donor Registry has released its first campaign for its public-facing brand, Strength to Give, led by independent creative agency Supersolid.
The nationwide effort aims to address the critical shortage of stem cell donors in Australia by recruiting three per cent of the eligible donor population aged 18-35.
For many critically ill blood cancer patients, a stem cell donation is their only hope for a cure. A mere 30 per cent of patients will find a donor match within their own family, meaning most are forced to rely on a life-saving donation from a complete stranger.
While there are currently more than 175,000 Australians registered as stem cell donors, very few of them are young men and only around a quarter are from diverse ethnic backgrounds. This matters because, clinically speaking, young men make for the most successful donors, and because patients are far more likely to match with a donor from the same ethnic background.
Leading with a 45-second film and supported by a suite of Social, Digital and Radio placements, ‘There’s No One Like Me’ features an authentic cast of young Australians with a focus on First Nations, Pasifika, South East Asian, and Middle Eastern backgrounds – those who would struggle most to find a stem cell donor in Australia – as well as the LGBTQIA+ community, which has historically been excluded from stem cell donor recruitment efforts.
The film, directed by Collider’s Ben Briand, showcases the many forms of life-saving strength these potential donors possess, drawing from the worlds of ballroom voguing, rugby league, hip-hop and car culture, before unexpectedly confronting them with a compelling and highly personal call for donors.
“Every year, around 1,000 Australian patients need a life-saving stem cell transplant. Each patient needs a donor that is their unique match, and their chances of finding that match depend on how many donors have similar ancestry,” said Lisa Smith, ABMDR CEO. “The gravity of the situation demands swift action, with lives hanging in the balance.”
“Strength to Give urgently needs a new generation of young, diverse donors,” says Elissa Gillon, ABMDR marketing & communications manager.
“‘There’s No One Like Me’ is a rallying cry to the nation that will appeal to potential donors of all backgrounds. We look forward to seeing the impact it will have, and the lives it will help save.”
“This was a rare opportunity to leverage the power of persuasion for an important cause. We knew this campaign would require radical creativity underpinned by rigorous research – exactly the sort of challenge that Supersolid was founded to solve,” says Jonathon Shannon, Creative Director at Supersolid. “I’ve registered as a stem cell donor, and I hope more young advertising professionals will join me on the registry.”
