2026 Winner

CASE SUMMARY

Canada faces a critical blood shortage.

Clinical advancements requiring specialized blood products, plus an aging population, mean demand will increase nearly 10% over the next five years. Less than 2% of eligible donors currently donate, which is unsustainable against growing need.

In May 2025, Canadian Blood Services (CBS) was set to announce its most ambitious goal: one million new donors in five years. This launched alongside a new brand platform asking: "Who's Saving Who?" CBS flipped their traditional narrative, highlighting the pride donors experience when giving.

The challenge was, using earned media, to drive awareness of the need and amplify the donor experience to increase appointments. Plus, with nearly 50% of donors being older Canadians, they needed to engage a younger audience.

The insight? Young Canadians are looking for purpose but feel overwhelmed with the state of the world and helpless to make an impact. 54% of Gen Z remain financially dependent on their parents.

The agency’s approach was to show, not tell, how donating could be an impactful way to give back with no financial commitment. They shifted from typical donation messaging, which often centers on recipients, to instead focus on the impact of giving through first-hand donor storytelling.

By changing the focus from sacrifice to shared humanity, they opened the door for younger Canadians to see themselves not just as helpers, but as heroes. This fresh approach would create a deeper connection with the act of donating – and in doing so, help to build the foundation for a new generation of donors.

They built a multifaceted earned media strategy to ignite nationwide conversation. Leveraging a roster of donor spokespeople, who represented key Canadian regions and cultures, provided multiple story angles and deeper community connections.

The agency began with an embargoed exclusive announcing CBS' historic recruitment goal featuring interviews with CBS CEO Dr. Graham Sher and a lifetime donor. This launched alongside a national press release for widespread coverage.

To create buzz in Canada's largest media market, they staged a Toronto media event at Stackt Market with a three-part experience: remarks from CBS leadership and donors; a branded café where guests spent 20 minutes – the average donation time – having a conversation with a lifetime donor; and a mobile donation centre offering a compelling media backdrop.

To amplify across Canada, they launched national media outreach, offering interviews with localized spokespeople trained on national messaging but encouraged to add local context.

Through more than 670 media hits, the campaign generated 253 million earned impressions – exceeding the brand’s target by 153%.

Their exclusive delivered more than 65 million impressions through more than 130 syndications, including Toronto Star, MSN, and National Post. Media coverage included CTV, Breakfast Television, CP24, CBC, plus localized stories in Winnipeg, Fredericton, Saskatoon, and Halifax.

98% of coverage included key messaging, ensuring our narrative came through clearly.

Most importantly, the launch event resulted in the highest number of first-time donors in CBS history.

Since launch, CBS has seen a 40% increase in appointments booked – driving awareness and real-world action.

Credits

Agnostic: Sarah Crabbe (President), Sherri-Lyn Brown (Senior Vice President), Mackenzie Biddie (Account Director), Amit Shilton (Senior Account Director), Frankie Certosimo (Senior Account Manager), Ellie Pepper (Senior Account Executive), Erin Quick (Account Executive)

Creative & XM Agency: Diamond
Media Agency: Cairns Oneill