Liquid has been shortlisted for a top national award for helping to boost the number of NHS organ donors.

Our campaign for the British Transplant Games, which drove sign-ups to the Organ Donor Register, has been selected as a finalist for Integrated Communications Campaign of the Year in the PRmoment Awards 2019.

Liquid is the only Birmingham agency shortlisted and has been selected alongside campaigns for major brands including Twitter, Virgin Trains and Samsung.

The Games, which were held in Birmingham in 2018, are designed to raise the profile of organ donation and encourage people to join the national register.

These are the stark facts: there are 6,000 people waiting for a transplant in the UK; three people die every day due to a shortage of donor organs.

Staging the Games in Birmingham was particularly pertinent as the city has the second lowest number of organ donors in the country. Only London has a lower figure.

Liquid developed #ItTakes2 as an over-arching message for the 10-month campaign. This was inspired by the thought that #ItTakes2 minutes to sign up online to the Organ Donor Register – and #ItTakes2 people for a transplant (the donor and the recipient).

Liquid’s creative content included producing short social media videos of everyday tasks that take two minutes (such as brushing your teeth, making a cup of tea). We also placed powerful human interest stories about transplant patients in the local, regional and national media.

Coverage included front page stories in the Daily Mirror and the Birmingham Mail, articles in titles including The Times, and national TV coverage such as ITV’s “Lorraine” show, Sky News, Channel 5 News, Channel 4 News, and ITV and BBC news programmes.

National television stars Holly Willoughby and Philip Schofield joined the #ItTakes2 social media campaign, posting videos of support.

Total media coverage reach was 629.36 million – up 349% on the target set for us by our client, MLS and Transplant Sport.

Most importantly, 76,014 people signed the Organ Donor Register in the West Midlands during the campaign – an increase of 5,145 on the previous year, smashing our target by 75%.

Why is this so important? Each donor can potentially help nine transplant patients, so it really is the case that every new recruit to the donor register counts, particularly in cities like Birmingham where the figures are historically low.

Liquid’s campaign culminated with the Government announcing a landmark change in transplant policy to presumed consent, revealed on the final day of the Games. It is estimated the health reform, due for introduction in 2020, could save an extra 700 lives each year.

The city of Birmingham was also awarded with Transplant Sport’s first ever Donor City Award, in association with the Daily Mirror.

Liquid CEO Lis Lewis-Jones says: “We are thrilled to have been shortlisted for our work on the British Transplant Games and to be recognised alongside major industry peers.

“Being a finalist in the PRmoment Awards 2019 recognises the hard-work, creativity and professionalism of the team at Liquid.

“But it is also testament to the spirit of the people of Birmingham and the wider West Midlands, who responded in such huge numbers and signed up to the Organ Donor Register. It is vital that this momentum is maintained, as each organ donor can save up to nine lives.

“Looking ahead, the 2022 Commonwealth Games is fast approaching and it is great to showcase how the city can make a success of big events, like the British Transplant Games, when there is representation and support from local experts, whether they work in the communications and PR industry, construction, digital technologies, knowledge economy or hospitality.

“Although the British Transplant Games moves to Newport this summer, Liquid is thrilled to have been retained to manage national PR and we look forward to building on the successes of 2018.”

The PRmoment winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in London on April 4

• To find out more about organ donation, please go to: https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/