The Challenge
Develop, design and produce a fully integrated advertising campaign to raise awareness about organ and tissue donation within the American Indian community of the Twin Cities.
The Solution
By working directly with community members, we were able to communicate personal and cultural context while respecting diversity and traditions. Guided by research, focus groups and in-depth interviews this campaign was designed to spark conversation in the American Indian community and provide the tools to share their stories with one another. The campaign features real people and members of the community who participated in documentary style short films. A campaign microsite was designed to drive engagement and was complemented by print, digital and OOH media placement.
Grounded in Research and Led with Respect
In the initial stages of this campaign, six focus group sessions were facilitated with a total of 41 American Indian participants living in the Twin Cities representing different tribes. During these sessions participants were asked to share opinions on deceased organ donation, questions about donation, and knowledge and perceptions of organ donation. These conversations established a foundation and served as a catalyst of insight.
Providing a Framework for Participants to Own the Solution
Our approach for the creative execution of this campaign was to step back and allow the community to lead the creative process and set the tone. The main objective was to inspire conversations and by working directly with community members, we were able to highlight the personal perspectives, diversity of ideas and cultural context of each participant. The creative process was rooted in respect.
Our role was to learn about the spiritual traditions of the community and the different perceptions about the concept of afterlife. For us, it was important to allow the members of the community to find their own path for why they support organ donation and communicate that directly with their community.
Every Visual Detail Required Our Respect for the Culture and Subject Matter
The American Indian community in the Twin Cities is representative of different tribes and backgrounds, each with unique visual traditions and forms. Instead of looking for stock images or appropriating existing art forms, we commissioned local American Indian artist, Deanna Beaulieu, to create a traditional beadwork piece to establish an authentic visual aesthetic throughout the campaign – building off the core idea that this campaign is not only created for the American Indian community, but also by the American Indian community. Our goal was to allow the artist to find her own inspiration and push the boundaries of her craft and creativity. The end result was a beautiful beadwork which incorporates elements from the main tribes – Ojibawe and Lakota and transforms some of the traditional shapes into organs.
Strategic media placement in print, digital and OOH raised awareness and drove traffic to the campaign microsite.
“This campaign led us on a very spiritual path. The sensitivity behind the subject matter and the deep cultural traditions of the community made it clear from day one that our approach needed to be hyper-aware, respectful and selfless. This was not a campaign about the most creative headline or the big idea, but a humble experience rooted in respect and humanity.”
A campaign microsite was designed to drive engagement and act as a hub for conversation and resources.