17 September 2024

Kidneys as the garbage collector of your body

Total Design develops activation for Kidney Foundation

To get extra attention and donations for the Nierstichting’s (Kidney Foundation) ‘Week of the Kidneys’, Total Design developed an activation that makes the importance of kidneys tangible.

A special garbage truck drives around the Netherlands during the ‘Week of the Kidneys’. The text on it is “If your kidneys quit, it’s like we quit.” With, of course, a QR code for donations.

In this way, the garbage truck is a metaphor, representing what kidneys do. Getting rid of waste products and thus keeping your blood clean. People don’t always realize how important this is. It becomes much more tangible and urgent by bringing this into everyday reality. At the same time, this makes the car a giant “moving billboard,” encouraging people to donate.

Many people do not realize why maintaining healthy kidneys is so important. Over 1.8 million Dutch people have irreversible kidney damage. And this number is increasing. Kidney damage is insidious because often you don’t notice it until it’s too late. If we do nothing now, kidney damage will soon be the number 5 cause of death worldwide.

Milo van der Meij (Total Design): ” It’s great that we can make an extra impact for the Nierstichting, where we can sincerely say, ‘the medium is the message!’

Tom Oostrom (Nierstichting): “We are very happy with this initiative by Total Design to draw attention to our work. The Nierstichting is committed to preventing kidney damage and treating it better. By making people aware of risks such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or eating too much salt. By detecting kidney damage earlier, and improving treatment and counseling.”

Kidney Week runs from Sept. 15 through Sept. 21. The Kidney Foundation previously became a client of Total Design for Branding and for Communications after a pitch. This collection week activation anticipates activities that will be visible by 2025.