#Optink (Germany)
Free tattoo designate organ donors
#Optink is a free tattoo to “opt-in” for organ donation in Germany, a legitimate proof of will in a system that requires explicit consent to become a donor. Though consent can take any form, the crucial step involves informing relatives, the ultimate decision-makers in the absence of a national organ donor database.
With 1 in 4 Germans being inked, they exploited a culturally relevant behavior to transform a topic that is often swept under the rug into a significant conversation-starter, turning hundreds of tattoo artists and thousands of new organ donors into permanent advocates for the cause.
#Optink tackles Germany’s organ donor shortage by cleverly leveraging a popular cultural practice: tattoos. In a country with a low donor rate and a system requiring explicit consent, #Optink offers a free tattoo as a permanent symbol of a donor’s choice. This culturally relevant approach sparks conversations with families, the ultimate decision-makers, and empowers thousands of newly minted donors and hundreds of tattoo artists to become permanent advocates for the cause. By utilizing a familiar symbol, #Optink fosters open dialogue and potentially saves lives.