What demographic did Virginia Blood Services seek to penetrate, and why did it think an innovative method would be required to do so? Before 2008, the legal age to donate blood in Virginia was 18. When the legal donation age in Virginia was lowered to 16 in 2008, Virginia Blood Services began to look for new ways to engage the population and drive donors to its blood collection events. In exploring new methods of communicating to potential donors, particularly first-time donors, Virginia Blood Services approached Neathawk Dubuque &

Packett for more information on the use of social media to reach those audiences.

It quickly became apparent that utilizing social media was appropriate not only for reaching those as young as 16 but also for reaching college students. Upcoming blood drives on college campuses signaled an opportunity to market the events in a way that would be applicable to both demographics.