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Red Cross

Courage to act

A video selection interface titled 'MOD TIL AT HANDLE' from the Danish Red Cross. The main background shows a young man with curly brown hair looking off-camera anxiously. Four clickable episode thumbnails span across the bottom, with 'Episode 1' highlighted, featuring the text 'HVEM VI ER, NÅR VERDEN CRASHER' describing a traffic accident witness scenario involving a character named Malik.
Client
Red Cross
Task
Digital training programme
Deliverables
  • Educational content
  • Film production
  • Digital design
  • Print
  • Social media content
  • Webdesign

The challenge

The Red Cross set out to create a unique training programme for 7th to 9th graders and boarding school students that would give them the courage to act in emergencies. Although most young people know that quick action can save lives, fear of doing something wrong often stops them from stepping in when it matters most. The challenge was to show that taking action is always better than doing nothing, and to empower young people to be brave when seconds count.

Approach

You cannot reach 14 to17-year-olds and prepare them through a traditional awareness campaign. Effective engagement with teenagers begins by meeting them where they are – at eye level and on their terms. This insight became the strategic starting point for how Advance helped the Red Cross create a digital, interactive and authentic educational program that, in addition to spreading knowledge about lifesaving first aid, also aimed to give the young target group courage to act.

Solution

We combined cinematic storytelling, with popular elements from the gaming universe to make selected scenarios as engaging and realistic as possible. In three short, interactive films, an emergency unfolds. We put the viewer in the driver’s seat, asking them to make a choice that will impact the story’s outcome. To bring the experience from the digital world back to the real world, we developed a series of exercises and discussion points to be used in classroom teaching.

Result

Since its launch, Courage to Act has grabbed the attention of thousands of teenagers across Denmark …94% of which say that they now understand the importance of taking action in an emergency. 82% of teens say that they would have the courage to act if they witness an accident… And 4 out of 5 teens say that they would even feel ready to perform CPR.

A video selection screen from the 'MOD TIL AT HANDLE' campaign, focusing on an episode titled 'NÅR PANIKKEN BREDER SIG' (When panic spreads). The background shows the back of a blonde teenager's head looking into a school locker room where two shirtless boys are present. The episode description at the bottom asks how the characters will handle a situation where a boy named Hans suddenly can't breathe.

“We wanted to find an exciting and engaging way to give young people the courage to intervene in case of an accident. Our aim was to make them confident in providing first aid and to get a better understanding of the power we all have to save lives.”

Morten Schwarz Lausten
Responsible for the Red Cross School Service
A promotional banner featuring a large red first aid cross. Bold white text reads 'MODIGE ELEVER REDDER LIV' (Brave students save lives). The background shows an accident scene at night with a scooter on its side and a girl lying on the ground while someone helps her. A young man's face is shown in close-up on the right. Subtext promotes a free interactive film series at MODTILATHANDLE.DK.
An episode selection screen from the interactive campaign featuring a close-up portrait of a serious-looking young woman on the right. An episode thumbnail for 'Episode 3' is selected, with the title 'EN FÆLLES REDNING, DA PULSEN STOPPEDE' (A joint rescue when the pulse stopped). The blurry background shows someone lying on a path at night.
A widescreen still from an interactive video showing a nighttime street accident scene with a red van, a fallen scooter, and a person lying on the ground. Two large, transparent interactive option boxes appear at the bottom: 'LØB HEN OG HJÆLP' (Run over and help) on the left, and 'SKAB SIKKERHED' (Create safety) on the right.
An interactive video frame showing a close-up overhead view of an unconscious blonde girl lying on the asphalt with blood on her face. Two interactive button choices are displayed over her chest: 'SKAB FRI LUFTVEJ' (Create an open airway) on the left, and 'LÆG NADIA STABILT SIDELEJE' (Place Nadia in the recovery position) on the right.
A scene from the interactive video where a young man kneels on a dark street beside a person lying down, with car headlights brightly shining behind them. Two interactive choice boxes are overlaid at the bottom: 'LAD HAM VÆRE' (Leave him alone) on the left, and 'HOLD MALIK AKTIVERET' (Keep Malik active) on the right.
A video still from the first aid simulation showing a person kneeling over a casualty in the glare of car headlights at night. White instructional text overlay on the right reads: 'Tjek vejrtrækningen før du lægger i stabilt sideleje.' (Check the breathing before placing in the recovery position).
An overhead view within the interactive video showing an unconscious man lying on his back with his shirt unzipped, exposing his chest. On the left side, an animated icon of two hands appears over a red dot, accompanied by the text instruction: 'Placer hænderne midt på mandens brystkasse' (Place your hands in the middle of the man's chest).
A video still showing a young woman in a navy track jacket walking down a dimly lit street at night. A large white text overlay on the right reads: 'Gå hen til manden. Vent ikke på at de andre gør noget.' (Go to the man. Don't wait for the others to do something).
An interactive video frame showing a close-up of a person's hands tilting back the head of an unconscious man lying on the ground. A curved white interactive arrow icon is overlaid on his neck with the text: 'Træk for at åbne fri luftveje' (Pull to open the airway), alongside a anatomical diagram icon of a cleared throat.
An overhead interactive view of a man lying on his back with his jacket unzipped, receiving chest compressions. On the left, instructional text states: 'Giv hjertemassage ved at trykke 30 gange. Skab en rytme hvor du trykker to gange i sekundet i takt med lyden.' (Give chest compressions by pressing 30 times. Create a rhythm where you press twice a second in sync with the sound). Interactive meters for 'RYTME' (Rhythm) and 'TRYG' (Pressure) are visible on the right.
A scene inside a locker room where a shirtless teen boy is choking, bent forward while another boy places a hand on his back to assist him. Two transparent choice buttons are overlaid at the bottom: 'PÅBEGYND HEIMLICH' (Begin Heimlich) on the left, and 'FÅ HAM NED AT LIGGE' (Get him to lie down) on the right.
An interactive simulation view looking down at a bare-chested unconscious man. Text on the right instructs: 'Placer elektroderne på manden som anvist på billederne.' (Place the electrodes on the man as shown in the pictures). Two template graphics showing proper AED pad placement on a human torso are stacked vertically on the far right.
An informational screen from the campaign titled 'PSYKISK FØRSTEHJÆLP' (Psychological First Aid) with the subtitle 'REAKTIONEN KAN KOMME SENERE' (The reaction may come later). The background shows a comforting hand resting on a teenager's shoulder in a locker room. The text describes how people can experience delayed crisis reactions, such as insomnia, guilt, or anxiety, in the days and weeks following a traumatic event.
Camilla Grove Pelle, Co-CEO, Partner

Camilla Grove Pelle

Co-CEO, Partner

+45 61 71 58 84
cgp@advance.dk

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