A single organ donation can save up to 10 lives and transform many more. However, there are currently 1,800 people on the Australian transplant waitlist, and 13,000 more on dialysis. This is due to low registration numbers and next of kin, who in 54% of cases, overturn the decision of their loved ones. All because they never discussed their wishes. This was preventing thousands from receiving a lifesaving transplant. Our task was therefore two-fold: (1) Increase the number of registered donors; and (2) Trigger a difficult, but much-needed conversation between family members about their donation decisions.

We launched a documentary film with Transplant Australia about an inspiring yet little-known event called the World Transplant Games. This made for compelling content, but to make it equally newsworthy, we created a first in sporting history by giving athletes the opportunity to split their winning medals with the donors and donor families who made their success possible.

The campaign leveraged our key insight to spark a national conversation around the desperate need for more donor registrations and family consent.

Furthermore, by spotlighting stories of triumph, generosity and gratitude, we showed a very different side to the organ donation process - one framed by what is gained, rather than what is lost.

Sadly, very few people who die each year are eligible for organ donation, and the Australian family consent rate sits at just 54% – simply due to a lack of conversation between potential donors and their next-of-kin.

With ⅓ of our adult population opted in, we needed to encourage the remaining ⅔ to become registered donors, including those believed to be not “healthy enough”.

Together with Transplant Australia, we launched a national campaign and feature length documentary about the Perth World Transplant Games. This made for compelling content, but to make it equally newsworthy, we created a world-first, made-for-media moment by giving athletes the opportunity to split their winning medals with the donors and donor families who made their success possible.

This showed a very different side to the organ donation process and drove mass awareness, which triggered much-needed family conversations.

Launching across multiple streaming platforms, Second Chance Champions is a national campaign and feature length documentary backed by PR that tells the remarkable story of those competing at the Perth World Transplants Games in April, 2023.

The talent featured reflects a wide variety of people, and in doing so reminds viewers that no one is immune from adversity. And to underscore this, we created a bespoke Split Medal – designed to be shared between donor or donor family and transplant recipient during the Games. This created a world-first, made-for-media moment that generated mass awareness and important, life-saving conversations.

The campaign deliberately eschews the sombre tone of the category, and instead opts for something more aspirational and joyous, while spotlighting the incredible feats of human ability. Ultimately, it reveals a bigger, more motivating story around donations - that sometimes, triumph can follow from tragedy.

Launching on Ten, Ten Play, Apple TV and Paramount Plus, Second Chance Champions not only got prime-time national news coverage and widespread online coverage, it unlocked an audience of 12 million Australians. Or, put differently, 50% of the adult population. That figure increased by 4 million through PR across TV, Online, Radio & Print.

The campaign’s reach generated $14 million in earned media and, more importantly, triggered lifesaving conversations between family members across the country.

As for our transplant athletes, the bespoke Split Medal offered them the chance to take part in a global first in sporting history.

On a behavioural level, Second Chance Champions also debunked dangerous myths about organ donation – helping shift personal perceptions and convert hesitant participants into could-be lifesavers. During the campaign period, organ donorship increased by a remarkable 60% (versus the prior period) – ensuring a critical reduction in Australia’s organ transplant waitlist.