SHANGHAI, CHINA – In China, there are 300,000 patients on the waiting list for organ transplantation every year, but only approximately 20,000 successful operations – reflecting a huge gap between supply and demand. According to a China Organ Donation Survey, 56 percent of respondents were willing to donate but had little knowledge about where and how to register.
A new ‘Life Sharing Power Bank’ initiative aims to overcome this challenge – using China’s leading power bank rental company, Energy Monster, to help create awareness and educate people on the importance of organ donation, as well as integrating simple steps guiding users to register as organ donors.
The initiative coincides with China’s Organ Donation Day (June 11), and is the result of a four-way collaboration between Energy Monster (China’s leading intelligent sharing technology company), TBWA\Shanghai’s Design by Disruption (DXD) studio, China Organ Transplantation Development Foundation, and Love & Hope Organ Donation Volunteer Registry.
With rental power bank stations prevalent in restaurants, bars, and convenience stores right across the country (305 million users in 2019), this awareness scheme hopes to reach and educate users at scale. Designed by TBWA’s DXD, the portable Life Sharing Power Bank comes in five different designs, highlighting some of the most sought after organs and providing information on how they can recharge someone’s life. These unique power banks have launched in 30 cities across China.
As usual, the rental transactions are completed through Energy Monster’s WeChat site, which gives users the location of the closest power bank. Now, this site also hosts information about organ donation, and seamlessly directs users to the Love & Hope Organ Donation Volunteer Registry. Additionally, for each Life Sharing Power Bank transaction, Energy Monster is donating RMB0.2 to the Foundation; and RMB0.1 will be donated for each regular power bank rented.
Said Junwen Hu, brand marketing director at Energy Monster, “Customers rent our shared power banks to get power. Life is unique to each of us, but sharing means that we can have bigger impact for each other. We hope this initiative will help people learn more about organ donation, and contribute to save lives together.”
Hongtao Zhao, vice president and secretary-general of China Organ Transplantation Development Foundation said, “Many critical patients have been waiting for organ transplantations for a long time. The patients who are successfully matched are very lucky. We hope that this initiative will offer more opportunities to increase the number of successful matches.”
Joanne Lao, chief executive officer of TBWA\ Greater China added, “It is an honor for TBWA to contribute to this initiative. The beauty of this idea is that it builds on the existing behavior of the shared economy, and creatively turns it into something that can bring life-changing knowledge and instant action to help increase organ donation.”
