Saw Blood Drive

The Saw Blood Drive was a promotional campaign initiated by Lions Gate Entertainment in 2004.

History

2004 - 2009

The first Saw Blood Drive in October 2004 was initiated by Lions Gate Entertainment to promote the release of Saw, the first installment in the eponymous American movie series. Via posters depicting seductive yet eerie nurses with needles and blood bags, horror fans were called on to donate blood for the American Red Cross. Each donation was rewarded with a free ticket to see the film. Lionsgate continued releasing numerous sequels following the movie's success, and the blood drive became an annual tradition. From 2004 to 2009, the donation campaigns, which coincided with each Saw film's release, received about 120,000 pints of blood.

2017

Following the release of Saw 3D - the seventh film in the series and the first installment not promoted through the annual donation campaign - the series was temporarily ended until an eighth film, Jigsaw, was released in 2017. Jigsaw's upcoming release was promoted by Lionsgate via another blood drive. However, instead of the horror-inspired nurses seen on the traditional Saw Blood Drive posters, the campaign featured several models representing the LGBTQ community, including Grae Drake, Dan Rockwell, Susanne Bartch, Nyakim Gatwech, Shaun Ross, Mosh, Mykie, and Amanda Lepore. As the American Red Cross refused to accept blood from sexually active gay men based on FDA regulations, the visual change in the campaign's direction was intended to lay down a marker against discrimination.

2023

In September 2023, the official Saw promotional account announced another blood drive via a post that read: "Bleed for me... And help those in need." Promoting the release of Saw X later that month, Lionsgate released two posters showing a male and a female nurse covered in blood, bringing back the more traditional visual style from the mid-2000s.

Gallery

• Saw Blood Drive
• Jigsaw Blood Drive