Brief:

• The American Red Cross is urging people to donate blood with a campaign that offers prizes from the Warner Bros. movie "Wonder Woman 1984." The nonprofit faces a shortage of donors this summer, with the coronavirus pandemic preventing blood drives at most businesses and community organizations, according to an announcement.
• Donors can check in more quickly to a donation center by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App to complete a questionnaire about their health history. Appointments can also be made by enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa-enabled Echo device.
• People who donate in July automatically get a chance to win a prop replica package that includes a golden lasso and gauntlets like those seen in the film, which opens in theaters on Oct. 2. People who donate by July 8 can also receive an exclusive "Wonder Woman 1984" T-shirt while supplies last.

Insight:

The Red Cross's promotional effort to urge people to donate blood may also help to drive downloads of its mobile app, which lets donors answer a health questionnaire to expedite the check-in procedures at donation centers. By offering a chance to win free merchandise from "Wonder Woman 1984," the nonprofit group seeks to reach action movie fans and inspire them to help others amid an urgent need for blood donors.

For Warner Bros., the promotion is a chance to participate in a cause-driven campaign, which have become more prominent as the coronavirus pandemic spurs companies to show how they're helping others. The efforts are especially appealing to younger consumers who who tend to favor brands that support social causes. This year has brought a variety of movements for brands and consumers to support, including COVID-19 relief, racial equality, LGBTQ Pride and boycotts of social media amid concerns about enabling hate speech.

The Red Cross has been especially active this year with the coronavirus pandemic that has spurred calls to donate supplies to healthcare providers. Those efforts include regional calls to donate blood, help make face masks for nonprofits and veteran organizations, and volunteer for hurricane relief efforts. The Red Cross also is testing all donated blood for coronavirus antibodies to help researchers understand how the disease is spread, The Verge reported.