Give Blood needs nearly 700 new donors every day to cover the country’s blood requirements. To raise awareness of the need for blood donors, NHSBT Give Blood worked with Director Tom Beard on a new TV commercial titled ‘Whistle’, voiced over by Academy Award-winning Jim Broadbent, and featuring past blood donation recipients and current blood donors.
The TVC produced by Pablo uses the metaphor of a milkman: an iconic symbol for our local communities. The friendly milkman figure seems to be delivering milk to people in a regular community, then the realisation sets in that he’s delivering bottles of blood to those in need, which is where the real impact is.
Director Tom Beard commented: “The challenge of delivering a metaphorical narrative in less than a minute without it feeling rushed or confusing was a lot of fun. It was very important to me that the characters were all relatable, everyday types that an audience could easily familiarise themselves with. I hope this spot manages to engage and inspire new donors to give blood.”
Juliette Larthe, PRETTYBIRD Executive Producer and Co-Founding Partner UK commented: “We started working with Tom Beard unofficially in 2017. I had been a fan of his work for a while, so it’s a delight to have Tom working with us on a plethora of projects; whether it’s stills, shorts, music videos or advertising, every medium he uses hones his storytelling technique. This new film for the Give Blood campaign is a perfect example of Tom’s ability to weave a visual narrative around an important issue, navigating it with style and impact, and illustrating the important core message.” “We have tried to create a piece that is both welcoming and arresting in equal measures to affect people emotionally and deliver the truth about what it takes to keep the country going strong. PRETTYBIRD have produced the film masterfully; pairing the emotional components of the story, with the cinematic, very British feel of the spot. It was very solid creative and practical partnership—pairing Pablo’s vision, story and concept, with PRETTYBIRD’s realisation.” Said Tim Snape, ECD at Pablo. To find out more about NHS Blood and Transplant, visit: www.nhsbt.nhs.uk
