(NBC News) Blood donations for all blood types -- A, B and O -- are critically low, so the American Red Cross is dropping those letters from its logo, hoping the glaring illustration of "missing letters" will encourage blood donations.
Major companies are doing the same for brands like Mastercard, State Farm and Oreo.
"When you consider the fact that every two seconds someone needs blood and we don't have enough donors, we're putting patient care at risk," said Maya Franklin from the American Red Cross.
The blood supply doesn't always meet the demand, as 38% of the population is eligible to donate blood but only 3% ever do.
Thousands of people nationwide need life saving help from blood donations, like people with sickle cell disease, cancer patients and accident victims.