December is the month in which Danes donate the most money towards charities. However, the different organizations fight for 'share-of-wallet' and that in a time where the advertisement spend is at its highest. Therefore, the competition for creating the most appealing and effective ideas is severe.

Every year around 1,4 million Christmas trees are sold in Denmark, and even more are exported. With the trees, stands to hold up the tree, are sold. Usually these have the basic form of two planks that are nailed together, so they form a cross. Adding red paint, it can be made to represent the iconic Red Cross brand logo.

A stunningly simple solution to a huge problem. Adding red paint to an ordinary Christmas object, giving it a new meaning and purpose in favor of Red Cross and thousands of families.

For each Christmas tree stand sold, the profit goes entirely to families in need.

The idea sparked the collaboration with an employment centre to produce the Red Cross stands, and with the Christmas tree salesmen to sell them.

The campaign launched on December 1st 2017 and over 600 tree stands were distributed at six different places around the greater Copenhagen area.

One distributor sold out after just one week and Denmark’s largest supermarket chain, COOP, picked up on the idea and offered to sell the tree stands.

Furthermore, the campaign created a lot of buzz on social media - spreading the message.

It takes untraditional methods to break through the Christmas-noise. One way of doing this, is by appearing in places where people don't have their guards towards advertising up per default. Even better, if the idea revolves around a place that people naturally interact with during the Christmas season.

Every year in Denmark, the Red Cross provides "Christmas help" for hard-pressed families, who have a hard time affording the traditional food and presents. The "Christmas help" relies on people donating around this period.