Hunter|Johnsen is pleased to announce that the 43rd Annual Telly Awards has honored the agency and LifeStream Blood Bank with a Telly Award for the 20-second video “Operation Shave or Save” that ran in the LA Clippers and Ontario Reign arenas.

With more than 12,000 entries from all 50 states and 5 continents, the Telly Award is one of the most coveted awards in the industry, honoring excellence in video and television across all screens. Entrants are judged by The Telly Awards Judging Council—an industry body of over 200 leading experts including advertising agencies, production companies, and major television networks, reflective of the multi-screen industry The Telly Awards celebrates.

To celebrate National Blood Donor Month in January, LifeStream Blood Bank created a fun, new fundraising campaign – Operation SOS (Shave or Save).

People were encouraged to recruit someone they know to shave their own facial hair – or maybe even their head – if an agreed upon fundraising goal is met by the end of February. The person who nominated their friend then encouraged friends, family, and co-workers to make a donation at the nominee’s Operation SOS web page to help them reach the fundraising goal. Nominees had the option to save their hair by matching the amount donated on their donation page.

People could donate money OR blood. (Each blood donation made at a LifeStream donor center or mobile blood drive in support of Operation SOS had a $25 in-kind value.)

LifeStream awarded prizes in several categories including best moustache, saddest moustache, best beard, and craziest facial hair. In addition, if the nominator (and nominee) raised at least $500, they were entered into a drawing for a chance to win two domestic round-trip tickets on Southwest Airlines ($800 value).

Through Operation SOS, LifeStream raised funds to help pay for another new LifeStream Blood Bank bloodmobile and collect pints of blood for local patients.

Hunter|Johnsen assisted in the promotion by creating the logo, and developing the flyers and posters for distribution and display at all LifeStream donor centers. The Hunter|Johnsen team also secured Coachella Valley radio media partner Alpha Media Palm Springs, and produced the radio spot to air on The Bull 98.5, 106.9 The Eagle, KNWZ 94.3, and Mix 100.5, as well as the Telly Award-winning 20-second video that ran in the LA Clippers and Ontario Reign arenas.