Chicago currently has a critically low blood supply and urgently needs donors. Right now, the city only has a one- to one-and-a-half-day supply of blood on hand, which is 50% lower than usual. And that could cause delays with surgeries, cancer treatments, and severely impact emergency response in the event of traumas.

To help increase Chicago’s blood supply and raise awareness of the deficit, Vitalant (formerly LifeSource) – one of the largest non-profit blood service providers – is partnering with award-winning creative agency, We Are Unlimited, to give back to their city and help address a serious issue that affects us all. To do this, Vitalant is transforming the CTA Red Line, Chicago’s main artery, into the Blood Line.

The initiative begins the week of January 14th, and will run for four weeks. The exterior of two CTA Red Line trains will be wrapped with Blood Line imagery, as well as the full interior. Chicagoans will have the opportunity to donate blood along the Blood Line on designated dates on Vitalant’s bloodmobile or at their donation centers. The first Blood Line blood drive is taking place steps away from the CTA Red Line station at:

- Harrison on Friday, January 18th from 2pm-7pm

 

Additional locations to donate blood along the Blood Line to come in the coming weeks.  

In addition to the wrapped train cars, the campaign consists of elements such as in-station posters, digital platform media, digital street-level media, and a social media push. Check out @bloodlinechicago on Instagram, which launched Wednesday, January 9th.