The Independent joins forces with NHS Blood and Transplant
London – Friday 19th June 2026: NHS Blood and Transplant has launched a new digital out of home campaign to highlight low blood stocks of vital blood types needed to treat sickle cell in England – activating its award-winning ‘Emergency LOW‑GOS’ creative idea for the first time.
Developed by Havas London, the campaign transforms high impact Ocean Outdoor DOOH sites into an urgent call for donors to book an appointment. Major brands including; The Independent, English Heritage, Marvel, HSBC UK and Westfield have donated their most recognisable asset – their iconic, (and famously red) logos.
Across numerous Ocean screens in London, Manchester and Birmingham, the red from these logos has been drained away – leaving a striking visual reminder of the shortages currently impacting the NHS, and patients with sickle cell who are reliant on regular transfusions. The DOOH campaign also serves as an urgent call-to-action for people with these vital blood types come forward and donate now.
Patients with sickle cell are most commonly treated with blood containing the Ro subtype. Across England alone, NHS Blood and Transplant currently supply 3,600 units of vital Ro blood each month, however 7,400 are needed in order to meet hospital demand. This leaves a shortfall of 50% which has to be made up using stocks of O negative and B negative blood.
The NHS is in need of more donors with O negative, B negative and Ro blood to come forward and start donating regularly. New donors, especially those of Black African heritage, are particularly urged to come forward – over 50% of Black heritage donors will have the Ro subtype, compared to just 2% of the wider population.
Last year, Emergency LOW‑GOS won £75,000 of media space at the Ocean Outdoor Digital Creative Competition, which champions inventive, purposeful ideas that push the boundaries of DOOH. Previous winners have gone on to be recognised at Cannes Lions and other major international festivals.
Mark Chambers, Director of Donor Experience, at NHS Blood and Transplant said: “Boosting stocks of Ro, O negative and B negative blood is vital to saving and improving thousands of lives. Currently, we are only able to meet around 50 per cent of demand for essential Ro blood, which is crucial for treating patients with sickle cell. This shortage not only affects patients who rely on regular transfusions, but also places additional pressure on stocks of other vital blood types, including O negative and B negative.
We needed a way to alert the public to the urgency of the situation, and this campaign does exactly that. By transforming something familiar into a stark warning, it creates a powerful reminder of the real and immediate impact blood donation has. We’re incredibly grateful for the support of our partners across this campaign – from our long-standing partnership with Disney, who were among the first to support this idea, to organisations including HSBC UK, English Heritage, Westfield and The Independent, who have joined us in supporting the urgent need for blood donations .Together, we hope to inspire more people to come forward and donate blood.”
Dan Cole, Executive Creative Director at Havas London, added: “Emergency Low-gos shows that we can all do our bit in an emergency. Asking some of Britain’s biggest brands to not only lend us their logos, but to let us visibly change them, was a bloody big ask. But a really important one. And they stepped up. As did Ocean Outdoor to donate the media space. This is the first time we’ve activated Emergency Low-gos – to highlight that blood stocks for sickle cell patients are currently running low – and we hope it will give a vital, life-saving boost to blood stocks across the country.”
Marie Le Hur, UK Marketing Director, Ocean Outdoor, further commented: “This is a disruptive, highly scalable idea. Not only does it feel big, it puts DOOH on an entirely different level. Our competition judges particularly liked the longevity of the emergency appeal which could be activated at any time over the coming months or years when blood supplies run low. A notable winner of our competition.”
Geordie Greig, Editor-in-Chief of The Independent, said: “We are delighted to support this important campaign. The Independent’s readers have always shown tremendous generosity when people need help most, and we know many will want to respond to this urgent call. Blood donation saves lives, and by helping shine a light on the challenges facing patients with sickle cell, we hope to encourage everyone who can donate to come forward and do so. Supporting vital causes and ensuring crucial stories are heard is at the heart of what The Independent stands for.”
To register or book an appointment to give blood, please visit: www.blood.co.uk
