Donate Life America's 'Give Me a Heart' Initiative Takes Advantage of Instagram's Iconic Heart Symbol to Instantly Grow the National Donor Registry

The organization is using Instagram's native functionality – its heart icon – as a simple way for users to sign up. An emotionally charged portrait series on Instagram features actual men, women and children who are on the heart transplant waiting list. The posts tell the story of how long they've been on the waiting list and what they would do if they received the gift of life. They ask Instagram users to "Give me a heart" – both metaphorically through a double tap, and literally by signing up to be a donor.

When an Instagram user likes a photo of a person on the waiting list, the heart icon appears directly over their existing heart. On promoted posts, the users are then instantly directed to the national Donate Life registry, where registering to be a donor only takes a minute.

"90% of people support organ donation, but only 52% are actually registered. Our hope is that this Instagram campaign will start to close that gap, as well as raise awareness about the importance of and critical need for transplants in the U.S.," said David Fleming, Donate Life America's President and CEO. "Some people featured in the campaign have been on the waiting list for hundreds of days, even several years. Others will not get a second chance at life - on average, 22 people die everyday because an organ is not available in time."

To help amplify the campaign, Donate Life America, with the help of agency partner Ogilvy & Mather Chicago, and photographer Randal Ford, created a heart-wrenching video explaining the initiative in depth. A link to the campaign video can be found here: https://youtu.be/0SCyU_4KoFY

"We are proud to partner with Donate Life America on this campaign," said Joe Sciarrotta, Ogilvy & Mather Chicago Chief Creative Officer. "This is the first time they've really leveraged the full power of social media. And by taking a simple action that over 300 million people do everyday on Instagram, we're making giving a heart mean so much more than just liking a photo. It literally means giving a heart."

Follow @donatelifeamerica on Instagram to see all the portraits of those on the heart transplant waiting list. And to find out more about Donate Life America or to become a donor yourself, go to bit.ly/givemeaheart.

About Donate Life America
Donate Life America is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit alliance of national organizations and state teams across the United States committed to increasing organ, eye and tissue donation. Donate Life America manages and promotes the national brand for donation, Donate Life America, and assists Donate Life State Teams and national partners in facilitating high-performing donor registries; developing and executing effective multi-media donor education programs; and motivating the American public to register now as organ, eye and tissue donors.

Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SCyU_4KoFY

SOURCE Donate Life America

Related Links

http://www.donatelife.net