Video With…Blood

Each fortnight, “Video With…” dives into the best of the video world, from TV commercials to TikToks. There are just two criteria: the video must align with the week’s theme and must have the power to cut through the noise.

Our themes are inspired by conversations happening in the Laundry Lane office, ranging from “Videos with Mascots” to “Videos with Jingles.” The possibilities are endless.

What does “cut through” mean? It’s a video that stops the scroll, even if just for a moment. It might make us laugh, teach us something new, showcase beautiful craftsmanship, or evoke strong emotions (shock, awe, delight, horror, you name it).

“Video With…” is part investigation, part treasure hunt. Our goal is to inspire you to try something new in your marketing and communications journey and to explore the engaging and creative world of video production.

With true crime taking over our playlists and streaming queues, you’d think finding ads with blood would be a breeze. But after our Google search came up surprisingly dry, we had to get a little more… creative.

Let’s be honest, using blood in advertising is a bold move. Some people might find it distressing, while die-hard Tarantino or Stephen King fans will probably just shrug and reach for the popcorn.

So, what makes some brands brave enough to go red? Sure, blood might make you a bit squeamish, but when it’s used right, it can stir emotions, start conversations, and even drive social change.

Last week, we asked the Laundry Lane team to share their favourite videos that include blood (which is always a great insight into your colleagues minds), here’s what they came back with.

Jade Stewart:

I love how they’ve mixed classical paintings and music with humour and a bit of craftiness. Classical art and music are usually seen as highbrow, so using them makes the whole thing feel important and deserving of attention. It also highlights that the struggles and experiences of periods aren’t anything new. It connects women across time and shows that periods have always been a part of our lives, even if they weren’t always talked about.

Tom Ewart:

A bit of an abstract interpretation, but this is what sprung to mind.

Rhea Kamath:

This tapped into the cultural zeitgeist of true crime and used it to promote a good cause, blood donation. Loved the messaging ‘blood isn’t just for movies, it saves lives’. And including Neve Campbell, an OG scream queen, was the cherry on top of the cake!

Charmaine Kwok:

This 3D animation uses bright colourful characters and a catchy jingle to get people excited about donating blood. It’s got a happy vibe that makes the whole idea of donating feel easy and positive.

Akrom Binkanee:

This is a great animation for the World Health Organisation – bringing awareness to people and their contribution to saving lives by donating blood. I love the liveliness and fluidity that comes with the frame-by-frame animation style. The textures used throughout the animation really add to the vibrant and organic feel of the video. Overall, an amazing, energetic video with a great message to “give blood and keep the world beating”.

Alexandra Cordukes:

This is one that stuck with me, as it’s not just really fascinating to see where the blood goes and what happens with it but it also inspires viewers to give blood and is a clever way to get new donors.

Will Cordukes:

Love the idea of using the visually confronting, almost taboo concept of blood to force people to sit and and take notice to this important human rights issue.

If you’ve made it this far, here’s some more free trivia that might come in handy in a few years from now at the local pub trivia night. Did you know that the word blood appears at least once in every Shakespeare play and AB – is the rarest blood type?

If you’ve seen any videos that feature blood that have captured your attention, share them in the comments below.

Until next time.