What a crowd-pleaser. It’s a commercial by MullenLowe for the British Heart Foundation. A story with heart (pardon the pun) and humour. A story about a boy’s swear jar and the pranks he gets up to fill it. Turns out he is trying to raise money to cure his grandfather’s dementia.
In a crowd of ads for causes, this one stands out. In a crowd of appeals, this one has child power. A child’s gumption and generosity is a powerful inducement for an adult.
The campaign, Swear Jar, serves two purposes – to drive donations and communicate the scope of the British Heart Foundation’s research. This extends beyond heart diseases to include multiple, and often connected, heart and circulatory conditions such as stroke and vascular dementia.
The TVC will also be supported by a multilayered social ad campaign. Firstly, the charity will release a series of behind-the-scenes films of Billy’s pranks on his family. Secondly, the British Heart Foundation will publish a campaign that highlights the impact of vascular dementia by showing children who have experienced their grandparents’ decline at the hands of the illness. The full campaign is running across TV, cinema, VOD, social, OOH (48 sheets and 6 sheets) and DOOH.
Mark Elwood, executive creative director at MullenLowe Group UK, commented, “You can give people the statistics on vascular dementia, but it will never bring home the human impact of the disease: on the sufferer and those closest to them. We wanted to tell that story in a way that was impactful but, ultimately, hopeful.”
“Grandad in our campaign had two strokes and now sadly has vascular dementia – this story is unfortunately only too real and common,” stated Carolan Davidge, director of marketing & engagement at the British Heart Foundation. “With this campaign we are continuing to talk about the breadth of the BHF’s research and the fact many heart and circulatory conditions are connected. We want people to understand just how valuable the BHF’s research is and that it’s only with their support we can continue to make life-saving breakthroughs.”
Credits
Agency: MullenLowe
Executive Creative Director: Mark Elwood
Creative Lead: Misha Newby
Senior Creative: Amber Casey
Account Management: Paul Wilde, Joe West & Giulietta Bateman
Strategists: Jo Arden, Joe Cusack & Luke Stockil
TV Producer: Katie Colhoun
Creative Producer: Josh Burley
Designer: Elisabeth Bolzon
Digital Designer: Chris Davey
Production Company: Somesuch
Director: Nick Gordon
DoP: Daniel Landin
Producer: Shion Hayasaka
Executive Producer: Scott O’Donnell
Editing Company: Work Editorial
Editor: Jono Griffiths
Assistant Editor: Jamie Hodgson
Executive Producer: Ben Tomlin
Post Production Company: The Mill
Producers: Kirsty Ratcliff & Rebecca Pemberton
Colourist: James Bamford
Sound + Music company: SoundTree
Sound design: Henning Knoepfel
Composer: Luis Almau
Music supervisor: Neil Athale
Stills Production Company: We Are Another
Producer: Kiti Swannell
Photographer: Jason Hindley
Client: British Heart Foundation
Director of Marketing & Engagement: Carolan Davidge
Director of Brand & Marketing: Tracey Bowden:
Head of Brand Marketing: Harriet Foxwell
Brand Marketing Manager: Maya Wasilewska
Senior Brand Marketing Executives: Harriet Gorringe & Abigail McCleod
Interim Director of Legacies and Individual Giving: Kelly Maklowicz
Interim Head of Individual Giving: Helen Boddy
