In Germany, 84% of people support organ donation, yet just 0.001% actually become organ donors. This disparity led to the creation of OptInk by Junge Helden with McCann. The concept is simple: a distinctive, free tattoo signals an individual's desire to have their organs and tissues donated after death.
German legislation currently mandates express consent for organ donation, typically through a donor card, advance healthcare directive or other written declaration while the person is alive. Without explicit prior consent, the decision falls to the donor's relatives, resulting in fewer organ donations than are needed. OptInk tackles this issue by offering a visible symbol of one's intent to donate.
Since participating tattoo shops apply OptInk free of charge, the symbol was crafted to be quick and easy for them to ink. Comprising two connected semicircles and a full circle, the geometric design represents organ donation as a perpetuation of life while forming the letters 'O' and 'D' for 'organ donor.'
