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Communication Showcase [3/4]Green Ribbon Campaign Secretariat "Second Life Toys"
Communication Showcase
A "transplant surgery" for toys?
A campaign that brings awareness and inspiration through simulated experiences
In Japan, approximately 14,000 people await organ transplant surgery. However, only about 300 people actually receive transplants annually. This means only 2% of those waiting receive a transplant. Needless to say, the primary cause is a shortage of donors. The donor shortage is particularly acute for pediatric transplants; in 2015, pediatric organ donations numbered only 6 cases.
Awareness of this issue is gradually increasing. Yet, the reality is that very few people have formally expressed their willingness to donate organs. There is a lack of opportunity to consider transplant medicine as a relatable matter. It's a difficult issue, so people prefer not to think about it. To change this situation, the "Second Life Toys" campaign was launched.
To overcome this difficult reality, we wanted to increase opportunities for people to think about transplantation. That's why we decided to run a campaign using stuffed animals—a familiar motif for children and their parents.
The campaign collected toys that were no longer played with as "donors." It also sought volunteers to repair damaged toys. By performing transplant surgery on the toys, we aimed to breathe new life into them.
A bear receiving a monkey's arm. A whale receiving a dragon's wing. A chicken receiving a frog's hand... By repairing damaged parts using other stuffed animals, the toys return to the children, full of life.
The owners of the donated stuffed animals receive thank-you letters from the children who now own the repaired toys, or from their parents. This allows the donors' owners to feel the profound significance of their cherished stuffed animal continuing to live on as someone else's treasured possession, and of connecting lives. This campaign replaced the serious theme of transplant surgery with the familiar concept of stuffed animals.
As a result, it created an opportunity for young children and their parents to develop an interest in pediatric transplants without resistance. Through this "simulated experience" of transplant medicine via toys, many parents and children began to recognize, think about, and take action regarding the lives saved by transplants and the necessity of donors to save those lives.
Second Life Toys' activities have been featured in over 1,100 media outlets worldwide. Numerous celebrities, musicians, and athletes have also expressed their support for the campaign. The circle of empathy for this action, which sparks thought about transplant medicine, is steadily expanding not only in Japan but around the world.
Dentsu Inc. CDC: Togo Kida
MS Bureau: Eiji Suzuki
PD Bureau: Taiki Kawase
4CRP Bureau: Kenta Isobe
From the initial proposal to the Grand Cryo.
The starting point was wondering: Couldn't we use the power of advertising to do something good for society, for the world? And through repeated brainstorming sessions, we arrived at the theme of organ transplantation. For example, becoming a donor. Even if you understand it rationally, emotionally, you can't quite take that step. Or rather, most people aren't prepared to make that decision. I thought if we could change that situation even a little bit...
Once we decided on the theme, we developed a plan, looked for companies and organizations that might become clients, and made repeated proposals. It was completely independent. As a result, the Green Ribbon Campaign Secretariat took an interest, and that led to this campaign.
Because it's a very sensitive issue, we were careful about controlling the visuals. At first glance, something that feels uncomfortable has a stronger impact. But is that okay? What would a father with children think when he saw it? On the other hand, if it was too cute and familiar, it wouldn't fully convey the message of organ transplantation. We asked ourselves these questions repeatedly and refined the expression while listening to the client's opinions.
After launch, the campaign first gained traction overseas. Well, we did send emails to international news sites and persistently pitched it, but I think what sparked interest was how Japan is surprisingly behind on organ transplantation. Also, the idea of finding life in a stuffed animal and expressing that. That's what caught people's attention. From there, it flowed back to Japan. I believe the theme itself had universality, which is why it resonated.
Thanks to everyone's support, we received numerous awards this year, including the Grand Clio for Best in Health at the Clio Awards. Furthermore, the campaign continues to expand, with requests for exhibitions from hospitals and collaborations with apparel brands.
Next year also marks the 20th anniversary of the Organ Transplant Law's enactment, so we aim to move beyond mere communication and focus on activities that yield tangible results.
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Communication Showcase
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