In Belgium, the many volunteers of The Red Cross are always around. But over time, people started taking their efforts for granted. The consequence: a decreasing number of donations and volunteers. It was time for a wake up call.

We invited journalists of all major media to a press conference. But we had to make sure they would actually cover our story. That’s why this press conference was not like anything they expected.

Just before arriving at the given address, the journalists had to stop for a massive traffic accident. This accident was the press conference. On a real highway we created a time freeze of an accident with multiple cars, wounded victims and of course Red Cross rescue workers. The journalists could literally step into the accident.

Standing in the middle of this shocking event, a spokesman made clear that the Red Cross is unable to help anyone, without people volunteering, donating blood, taking first aid courses or giving money.

Journalists were explicitly confronted up-close with the important tasks of the Red Cross, while photographers and cameramen could get spectacular pictures from angles they would otherwise never be able to shoot.

This turned the disastrous press conference into a success. All major media who were present covered the event, and those who couldn't make it picked up the story. The coverage was worth €657,000. Far more than a Belgian nonprofit organisation could ever spend. Reminding the Belgian people why they should keep supporting The Red Cross.

The journalists were invited to a press conference where they were suddenly confronted with a catastrophic pile up car crash. Of course this was a simulated car crash but it was an impactful way of taking the journalists on a tour through every useful activity of the Red Cross. So that the press could build a story on the essential role of the Red Cross within the Flemish society.

The PR campaign resulted in press coverage in the Flemish newspapers (Gazet Van Antwerpen, Het Nieuwsblad, Het Laatste Nieuws, De Morgen,...) and TV Stations (VTM and ATV) for an estimated value of 878,087.00 euros in media spend.