Executive Production of a campaign film for the European Sperm Bank
— Changing Behaviour Through Human Storytelling

How do you encourage young men to become sperm donors without relying on fear, guilt or medical language?

Working as Executive Producer, I helped deliver a pan-European campaign that reframed sperm donation as an act of generosity rather than obligation. The campaign reached more than 5 million people across television, cinema and digital platforms while contributing to increased donor registrations.

The Challenge: Demand for sperm donors was increasing across Europe while public awareness remained low. Traditional healthcare communication focused on information. The challenge was to create communication that people would emotionally connect with—and act upon. It is becoming more and more difficult to become a parent in the Western world. 1 in 4 men has poor sperm quality. The European Sperm Bank (ESB) therefore wanted to recruit more sperm donors in Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, and England, with a specific target group of young men aged 22–27. The campaign uses storytelling, humor, and visual aesthetics to acknowledge the invaluable contribution of sperm donors in helping individuals and couples achieve their dream of starting a family

My Role: Executive Producer. Responsibilities included: Executive production leadership, Stakeholder management, Cross-functional coordination, Production strategy, Creative quality assurance, International delivery.

Strategic Thinking: Behaviour rarely changes because people receive more information. It changes because people see themselves differently. The campaign therefore reframed sperm donation through gratitude rather than medical necessity. Instead of explaining the problem, we celebrated the people helping solve it.

Creative Execution: Produced a cinematic campaign distributed across multiple European markets. Every creative decision supported emotional authenticity while avoiding the conventions typically associated with healthcare advertising. The result was communication that felt human first—and educational second. The concept is ‘thanksgiving’ and a tribute from society to a donor, communicating that just like donating blood, organs, stem cells, or anything else, donating sperm is a good deed. There is something special about people who try to make other people's lives and dreams come true. That deserves recognition. Even if you are probably not fully aware of the impact that your humanity and helpfulness can have.

Business & Social Impact: Reached more than 5 million viewers across Europe. Contributed to increased donor registrations. Demonstrated the effectiveness of emotionally driven storytelling within healthcare communication.
Seen by more than 5 million on social media, TVC, and in selected cinemas, and an actual spike in European Sperm donors measured in the focus areas

Leadership Lessons: Creative leadership is ultimately about changing perception. When perception changes, behaviour often follows. This project reinforced the importance of combining strategic insight with emotionally resonant storytelling. Why It Matters; Healthcare communication succeeds when it treats people as humans rather than audiences. This project demonstrates how creative thinking can influence behaviour while respecting the complexity of sensitive societal issues.