Today is National Minority Donor Awareness Day – Aug 1st! When it comes to consumer spending TWO of the largest target audiences are at risk. African Americans and Hispanics are at risk and dying from the lack of receiving organ transplants. There is a need to incorporate education for minority health in media campaigns; I repeat there is a need to incorporate education for minority health issues in media campaigns targeted toward African American and Hispanic communities.
According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services more than 13,500 Hispanics are on waiting lists for organ transplants accounting for 15 percent of all organ transplant wait-listed patients. The waiting period for most transplants is 17-53% percent longer for Hispanics than for non-Hispanic Whites. Nearly 24,000 African Americans are on waiting lists for organ transplants accounting for 27 percent of all organ transplant wait listed patients. African Americans comprised 35 percent of the waiting lists for kidney transplants. African Americans are almost four times more likely to have end-stage renal disease than Whites, but they are less likely to be evaluated and placed on waiting lists for kidney transplants in a timely manner. Once on the list, they also tend to wait longer for a transplant.
According to the Selig Center for Economic Growth at the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business; African American buying power would total $845 billion in 2007 and is projected to top $1.1 trillion by 2012 — a 34 percent increase over the five-year period. I feel that this proves that African American media has strong potential.
Consider Breast Cancer Awareness and Environmental Awareness “Green” campaigns. These public announcement campaigns allow marketers to champion a cause while also increasing profit earnings. Most important this is an excellent opportunity to GIVE Back!