COI enlists more stars in Blood Service drive

by Emma Barns Campaign 11-Jun-04

COI Communications is launching a series of TV ads for the National Blood Service featuring Gordon Ramsay and Pete Waterman.

Created by Delaney Lund Knox Warren & Partners, the ads continue its "do something amazing" campaign, first launched in 2001.

Breaking on 14 June, the campaign aims to convince people to donate blood by showing them that it is used for operations beyond those caused by accidents. The celebrities' experiences of using donated blood cover everything from childbirth to cancer treatment and aim to give the importance of giving blood a wider relevance.

Three 30-second executions will run on national satellite and terrestrial TV. As well as Ramsay and Waterman, the celebrity line-up includes the DJ John Peel, the former rugby player Will Carling, the newsreader George Alagiah and the Coronation Street actress Wendi Peters.

The ads end with the voiceover "Do something amazing" as the endline "Give blood" appears on screen with the service's logo and contact details.

Greg Delaney, the DLKW chairman, said: "These ads build on the success of our previous campaign with positive messages about the crucial difference you can make as a blood donor."

The ads were written and art directed by Ronnie Brown and Peter Kew and directed by Stuart Douglas through @radical.media. Media was planned by ZenithOptimedia and bought by Starcom Mediavest.