99) Barcelona Té Sang

I picked up this little free takeaway at an art show I went to a couple weeks ago. Earlier this year, Barcelona was chosen as the international host of World Blood Donor Day 2010, which fell on June 14. As such, the city launched a local social campaign called, ”Barcelona Té Sang,” or “Barcelona is Full Blooded” to encourage blood donation. Inside the packet is a specially designed bandage to symbolize support for the cause.

What struck me most about this piece is the use of design to drive a movement, as well as the sponsorship by Tiritas de Hartmann (from my understanding, the equivalent of the Band-Aid brand in the US). The teal “x” is like a revamped version of the classic looped cause ribbon. It stands out like a tattoo on the arm of a revolutionary holding up a peace sign on the front of the packet. Suddenly, the act of donating blood is likened to a rebellious act (teenage/young adult target, anyone?). Furthermore, by making it a functional bandage, the campaign infuses it with meaning beyond the design. And Tiritas’ choice to sponsor is a great PR move. What looks like a standard, unemotional bandage brand is suddenly hip and relevant when attached to the campaign. More broadly, the takeaway reflects a global trend of increased social responsibility.

(Mini aside: This is a shameless pull from the blog I have to keep for class, and even worse, it's a couple weeks old. Apologies, dear Plan readers, but it's 4AM in Barcelona and nothing remotely intelligent is coming to mind. Buenos noches!)