The roll out will involve several bursts across multiple channels to support the organisation’s appeals between now and the end of the year.
The Heart Foundation’s new campaign, Saving Hearts, is a poignant reminder of what heart disease takes away from families while reminding the community that investing in research brings improved outcomes for survivors and their families.
Created by DDB Group’s specialist healthcare agency, DDB Remedy, Saving Hearts captures the reality of the life-long impact of heart disease on Australians and their families by depicting a real-world scenario of a family experiencing a heart event – something all too relatable, given one Australian family experiences a heart attack every nine minutes.
More Australians die of heart disease than any other single cause; it tears families apart.
With one in four Australians dying from heart and blood vessel disease, tens of thousands of Australians have lost a loved one, or will lose a loved one, from a heart attack or a stroke.
Yet research has found over half of Australians believe heart disease isn’t relevant to them.
Crucially, the new campaign demonstrates the vital role medical research plays in keeping more families together.
“With 50 loved ones lost to heart disease every day, there are still far too many Australian families experiencing the opening scenes of our new campaign," Heart Foundation Australia chief marketing officer Caroline Elton says.
“However, the life-saving work being undertaken by Australia’s top researchers offers genuine hope that we can keep families together. Funding research is a major part of what we do, but as a not-for profit, we rely on the donations of generous Australians for it to continue.”
The emotional film at the heart of the campaign depicts paramedics treating a man who is having a heart attack.
His young daughter watches on, and he begins to imagine her future without him: at a milestone birthday, playing sport, graduating university, and getting married.
"In this campaign, we have focused on making an emotional connection with the audience – personalising the impact through the eyes of the father, then offering real hope to make a tangible difference through donations towards life-changing research," DDB Remedy executive creative director Scott Smith says.
“Making people feel something is a powerful driver, and we believe this campaign will inspire more Australians to help fund the Heart Foundation’s vital work.”
The campaign, and the Heart Foundation’s work, resonated strongly with the film’s director David Deneen and executive producer Anna Fawcett – both of whom have experienced the trauma heart disease can wreak on lives.
“This is a powerful idea and I wanted to ensure that the performances and the filmmaking style cut through," Deneen says.
The campaign launched last night, Sunday 20 June.
The roll out will involve several bursts across multiple channels to support the organisation’s appeals between now and the end of the year.
Credits
Heart Foundation:
Caroline Elton – Chief Marketing Officer
Kate Scrutton – Marketing Manager
DDB Remedy:
Scott Smith - Executive Creative Director
John Lam - Creative Partner
Laurie Geddes - Senior Copywriter
Renata Barbosa - Head of Integrated Content
Jules Jackson - Producer
Narve Thakrar - Managing Partner
Caterina Pellegrini - Senior Business Director
Filmgraphics:
David Denneen - Director
Anna Fawcett - Executive Producer
Sound design:
Song Zu / Create Resonance
Post production:
White Chocolate
