Green Cross, Red Cross

One of the most familiar street signs in Belgium is an illuminated green cross above a pharmacy showing the time, temperature and weather: once useful information rendered largely irrelevant by smartphones. But what if these signs could display vital messages that can’t be checked by a glance at your screen - such as blood bank shortages? That’s the premise behind ‘Green Cross, Red Cross', a bold new collaboration between Red Cross Flanders and Pharmes, which aims to raise awareness around blood donation and prevent critical shortages by reimagining the pharmacy symbol as a new media space.

Created by independent Belgian agency MUTANT, the pilot scheme harnesses cutting-edge software developed by Pharmes, a market leader in pharmacy LED signs, to display real-time blood supply data from the Red Cross on pharmacy signs. When levels of specific blood types drop, the iconic cross symbol changes colour from green to red - alerting passersby of the need to give blood.

‘Green Cross, Red Cross' goes beyond a traditional ad campaign to create an ongoing solution to an ‘invisible’ issue: fluctuating blood bank levels. With supplies of negative blood groups such as B- and O- particularly vulnerable to seasonal variations - such as holiday periods where donations drop but demand remains at high levels - the new initiative acts as a constant reminder to people to donate blood and prevent shortages, without the need for traditional public appeals.

In a first for Belgium, ‘Green Cross, Red Cross' introduces a new generation of LED pharmacy crosses featuring cutting-edge software which automatically adjusts the displayed blood groups based on real-time data. Equipped with a 4G SIM card, the signs can be programmed from a distance - bringing new value to a tired medium and giving blood donation a place in everyday life.

The pilot scheme launches today with an initial 14 crosses in Flanders and Brussels, with plans to roll out a total of 150 crosses across Belgium by the end of 2025.