NHS England marks Valentine’s day with hard-hitting heart attack campaign by M&C Saatchi

NHS England marked Valentine’s Day with a hard-hitting campaign aimed at raising awareness of the early symptoms of a heart attack. The push was created in partnership with M&C Saatchi London.

The core objective of the campaign was to get people to recognise the early symptoms of a heart attack, which can often be dismissed or ignored.

Heart attack symptoms aren’t always severe, with people sometimes getting a squeezing sensation across the chest or a general feeling of unease, rather than the sudden sharp pains often seen in portrayals of heart attacks in popular culture. 

The new campaign aims to raise awareness of this and give people the encouragement and permission they need to call 999 right away if they experience these symptoms.

A 30-second film, directed by Barney Cokeliss at Mad Cow Films, depicts the early symptoms of a heart attack by showing a man standing in a layby at the side of a road, with hands emerging from his jacket and squeezing his chest. The voiceover tells viewers: “The early symptoms of a heart attack don’t always feel severe, but it’s never too early to call 999.”