Addressing a catastrophic lack of blood donors in Russia (only 31% of the sufficient number by 2008!), the Ministry of Health launched a 5-year communications programme to encourage more peolple to donate blood and more frequently. A unique strategy was worked out - building a social institution of blood donation.The campaign embraced 21 regions in 2008 and 47 in 2009, addressing potential donors (nearly all the adult population), the Blood Service, media, government, business, NGOs, educational institutions and churches. It integrated over 1500 events (over 10 formats), 2 nationwide PSA campaigns, creation of a blood donation web portal and a nationwide hotline, traditional and social media activities, visual identity design and a corporate culture programme for the national Blood Service.

The 2008-2009 campaigns generated 9500 media impressions, positive changes in public opinion and motivation to donate blood, reducing fears about blood donation. After the 2008 campaign donor number on transfusion stations in target regions grew by 30%; after 2009 the donor number grew by 4% NATIONWIDE (including 36 NON-target areas), achieving the sufficient level in several regions. A wave of response initiatives from ALL audiences (organizing events, distributing materials, creating corporate donor teams, etc.) showed that the new institution came to life.

2008: November-mid-December, 21 regions.2009: September-mid-December, 47 regions.- Launching www.yadonor.ru (‘I’m a Donor’) and a nationwide hotline.- Engaging top health and government authorities as speakers/participants.- All Russian video press conference - 300 journalists from 21 regions.

- Media competition ‘Best publication on blood donation’ (2008) - 200 entries.

- Specific event formats for each audience: media seminars at blood stations; open lessons in schools; blood drives in enterprises, local governments, universities; citywide events; flash-mobs; roundtables, etc. 2008 - 511 events in 1.5 months, 2009 - 1008 events in 3.5 months.- Integration into public events.- Nationwide PSA campaigns (2008, 2009).

- Online: creating communities; viral campaigns, etc.

- Creating Public Blood Donation Councils (14 regions).- Partnership agreements with companies.

- Blood Service corporate culture program: Blood Service visual identity.

Staff trainings on communications with donors.

Publishing The Blood Service newspaper.

All-Russian Blood Service Forum (from 2008 annually).

2008:- An average 30% growth in donor numbers! (transfusion stations in target regions)- 230,000 people and 711 journalists visited events, 19,700 became donors.

- 32,000 hotline inquiries.

- 65,000 unique website visitors.

- 1880 publications. Media interest growth: 240% in target, 185% in NON-target regions! Negative coverage reduced by five times!2009:- 7597 publications. Negative coverage - less than 1%!- 583,202 unique website visitors.- 147,384 hotline inquiries.- 2 nationwide and 40 regional companies became campaign partners.- Compared to 2008, donor number grew by 4% nationwide (including NON-target regions), reached European level in several regions!- Share of those who’ve ever given blood grew from 30%(2008) to 44%; donors aged 18-34 - from 38 to 54% (poll data).- Increase in social motivations (saving lives) vs. individual (helping relatives, etc.); weakening of fears.- Response initiatives from all public: the institution came to life!