While it may seem like there is a bandit removing all the As, Bs, and Os from signs across the globe, it's actually a blood donation campaign. In an effort to encourage people to donate blood, Missing Type is calling on corporations to remove the blood type letters from their signs and emphasize the dwindling resources.
The campaign was launched by the NHS Blood and Transplant department of the British National Health Service. However, cities and companies around the world are joining the effort — Microsoft, Google Japan, Tesco, the famous Amsterdam sign, and the famous Toronto sign have all blocked out the correlating letters.
Rem_ve the A, O, & Bs fr_m y_ur next tweet t_ supp_rt _l__d d_nati_n. T_gether we will fill the g_ps. #MissingType [1] pic.twitter.com/PNOpDuvrAN [2]
— Give_l__d NHS (@GiveBloodNHS) August 17, 2016 [3]
I msterdm! We're missing some crucial letters here....#missingtype [4] pic.twitter.com/WWolpZgCAA [5]
— I amsterdam (@Iamsterdam) August 16, 2016 [6]
We re pr ud t e supp rting the #missingtype [7] c mp ign @GiveBloodNHS [8] pic.twitter.com/NHdgpllfTo [9]
— Ribena (@RibenaUK) August 17, 2016 [10]
We're supp_rting #MissingType [11] c_mp_ign. Sh_w y_ur supp_rthttps://t.co/QrvoV4Nb3T [12] pic.twitter.com/KA0FABHaXM [13]
— Microsoft UK (@MicrosoftUK) August 16, 2016 [14]
We've dropped the O from Tesco to raise awareness for @GiveBloodNHS [15]. #MissingType [16]. See more https://t.co/qIC5JxJjsa [17]https://t.co/tHKcIQUfYJ [18]
— Tesco (@Tesco) August 16, 2016 [19]
もし世の中から「A」「B」「O」が消えてしまったらGoogleロゴはこんな姿に…。献血でA,B,Oを守りましょう。詳細は日本赤十字社のページ https://t.co/N41Qw2FXQj [20] をご覧ください。 #MISSINGTYPE [21] pic.twitter.com/N2cYN6GCpw [22]
— Google Japan (@googlejapan) August 16, 2016 [23]
After a drop in blood donations of nearly 30 percent [24] in the last decade, the Missing Type campaign hopes to stress the importance of donating. An even more staggering statistic, as reported by the World Health Organization [25], is that 33 people per 1,000 donate blood, which means bank levels are consistently low. As the campaign goes more viral, we anticipate American companies joining the cause. To donate blood in America, visit the Red Cross's donation site map [26].