50% of the UK public don’t know who to call in an emergency at the coast or at sea. So Britons need an ad explaining why lifeguards are important. That’s never going to be an Aussie need. But then, even if you’re one of the handful of Aussies who hasn’t grown up on the Australian coastline, we’ve had Bondi Rescue on TV since 2006.

And while Bondi Rescue is broadcast now in the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, New Zealand, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Turkey, Italy, Belgium, Hong Kong and worldwide on National Geographic Adventure, it’s unlikely to prime time viewing like it is here.

AMV BBDO has done a stellar job, therefore, of making the importance of UK’s lifesavers known. The standard creative would have shown a child being pulled from the water by lifesaver and resuscitated on the beach – cut to ECU of anxious parent – return to child as he splutters and draws a breath…

…AMV BBDO’s Every Second Counts is not standard creative. It shows tranquil beach scenes. But behind these images another story is being told. That’s what gives the ad is impact: a series of frantic emergency service call recordings against a peaceful postcard scene leading to a simple warning, “Conditions on our coastline change in seconds.”

Creative credits:

Agency: AMV BBDO

Creatives: Nicholas Hulley & Nadja Lossgott

Directors: Thirtytwo

Production company: Pulse Films.