American Red Cross, National Headquarters

The firm has carried out a range of varied assignments and campaigns on behalf of the American Red Cross, National Headquarters and many of its regional chapters including San Francisco, Chicago, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and Seattle.

The team was called upon to develop a strategic crisis communications plan for the American Red Cross and disseminated it to Red Cross Chapters in the U.S. A series of extensive training programs were executed to educate senior professionals on its immediate implementation. The team also developed and promoted a national AIDS education program, "Beyond Fear," for the general public, and designed public outreach products targeting Latino women and small businesses. Additionally, we orchestrated national media coverage and promotion of the organization’s first Red Cross Hispanic Health Initiative.

As part of our public education work for the American Red Cross, we have translated numerous complex scientific findings – relating to blood research and HIV in the voluntary blood supply, and infant CPR – to national health and science media. We also designed and implemented an awareness campaign targeting the entertainment, health and novelty trade industries, informing them of the proper use of the Red Cross emblem – as a protected humanitarian symbol.

To commemorate the 125th Anniversary of the Red Cross, the team publicized a nationwide series of special events that we designed for implementation by 3,000 Red Cross chapters around the nation. The centerpiece of the national special event strategy was the creation of a Red Cross float in the annual Tournament of Roses Parade. The events nationwide and the Rose Parade float secured international exposure for the American Red Cross and garnered news coverage throughout the nation and the world. The resulting attention brought forth a wellspring of individual and corporate support.

More recently, to reverse natural attrition in their donor base due to an aging population, the Red Cross turned to LGI to re-brand the Red Cross organization for the youth market. To reach young people efficiently and effectively with the message, LGI placed Red Cross related product placement story lines on such hit shows as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Beverly Hills 90210, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and ER, resulting in the equivalent of several million dollars in ad spending and record setting blood donations by young adults following a Valentine’s Day Beverly Hills 90210 storyline where two main characters donate to the Red Cross.

Other LGI public health success stories include the National Mental Health Association, Next Generation Tobacco Control Alliance, and many others.