Segmenting military blood donors: A targeted marketing approach to increase expeditionary blood availability

The Armed Services Blood Program (ASBP) manages blood collection and distribution for the Department of Defense in support of global military and interagency operations. Despite its critical role, there is limited research exploring what motivates ASBP blood donors. This study identifies intrinsic and extrinsic motivations to inform targeted marketing strategies aimed at increasing ASBP blood donations.

A survey was conducted among blood donors at the Keesler Blood Donor Center (BDC). Participants ranked intrinsic and extrinsic motivational factors on a 5-point Likert scale, and demographic data were collected. Exploratory factor analysis was performed, and demographic variations were assessed through analysis of variance.

A total of 376 surveys were included. Intrinsic motivations, notably altruism ("Desire to Help Others") and military-specific support ("Supporting Military Personnel"), were ranked highest among respondents. Higher-value extrinsic motivation items (such as uniform patches and gift cards) were preferred, although exemption from physical training emerged as an unexpectedly popular and low-cost incentive. While statistically significant motivational differences existed between genders and military branches, the practical impact of these differences was minimal.

Identified intrinsic motivations provide clear guidance for targeted marketing campaigns emphasizing altruism and service. Additionally, low-cost incentives, such as physical training exemptions, complement more costly extrinsic rewards. Although demographic differences were statistically significant, their practical implications are limited, suggesting broadly appealing marketing messages may be sufficient across military populations.