The 2026 British Heart Foundation (BHF) campaign by Saatchi & Saatchi has placed itself in real life where people will see it for at least five years. The campaign celebrates 65 survivors of cardiovascular disease whose lives have been saved by critical BHF-funded research. But not in an expected emotive film. With 65 commemorative benches installed across the UK.
Unlike traditional memorial benches, that honour those who have passed away, these In Living Memory benches celebrate those who’ve survived. They are painted in signature BHF red and each bench bears the name of someone who is alive today thanks to treatments or scientific advances funded by BHF. Each installation celebrates a real person and a real scientific story, turning the familiar motif of a memorial bench on its head by commemorating those who have survived.
Saatchi & Saatchi collaborated with Raw Research and BHF’s Heart Stories team to identify cardiovascular disease survivors and install benches in meaningful locations across the UK. Each bench is placed near the communities the survivors come from, allowing people to encounter powerful, locally relevant stories in everyday settings such as parks, high streets, and town centres.
The campaign is built around real conversations and interviews recorded on the benches with survivors and their families. BHF and Saatchi & Saatchi filmed and photographed survivors spending time on the benches in their local communities, capturing natural, unscripted discussions about diagnosis, treatment, recovery and day-to-day life with a cardiovascular condition. These moments will be used in content across TV, social, online video, print, radio and press. The AV highlights the stark statistic that someone in the UK dies from cardiovascular disease every three minutes.
Creative imagery of the benches will also feature in an OOH campaign. The imagery will show each survivor seated on their own bench, photographed in a simple documentary style. The individuals featured span a wide range of ages, backgrounds and family roles, reflecting the broad and often unexpected reach of cardiovascular disease.
Media planning and buying for the campaign has been led by Omnicom Media’s PHD. Production across AV and social was led by Biscuit Filmworks x Revolver.
Damion Mower, director of brand at British Heart Foundation (BHF), stated, “Cardiovascular disease is one of the UK’s biggest killers, affecting eight million people from every age group and community. Yet, despite its devastating impact, research into it still receives far less funding than many other conditions. With In Living Memory, we’re shining a spotlight on the scale of the challenge, and the incredible difference research is already making. Every story in this campaign is a powerful reminder that continued support isn’t just important – it’s lifesaving.”
Franki Goodwin, chief creative officer, Saatchi & Saatchi, added, “When pictures of our benches being installed around the UK came into our inboxes and this idea became not just real but permanent, I watched one of our producers break down with emotion. This extraordinary project is a feat of production, integration and collaboration. It means as much to us as it does each one of the sixty five people who now have living memorials in their parks, villages and towns to remind everyone in the UK about the importance of the British Heart Foundation’s research and that their donations save real lives.”
Credits
Client: British Heart Foundation
Advertising Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi
CCO: Franki Goodwin
Associate Creative Directors: Pete Ioulianou & Ollie Agius
Creative Team: Lucy Norie, Hannah Underwood, Pete Ioulianou, Ollie Agius, Jacob Newton, Becca Duggan
Group Managing Partner: Alice Kassapian
Account Director: Zara Hutchins
Account Managers: Tamara Sirandula & Stasa Lalovic
Executive Producer: Jodie Sibson
Integrated Producer: Lucy Fuggle
Senior Integrated Producers: Libby Cavenett & Zan Stepien
Agency Production Assistant: Abdul Onipede
Executive Strategy Partner: Emily Lewis-Keane
Planning Director: Jimmy Macaskill
Planner: Elena Georgiou
Senior Conceptual Designer: Shane Horn
Conceptual Designer: Ajay Sookraj
Senior Designer: Natalie Alves
Production Company: Biscuit Filmworks X Revolver
Director: Glue Society
DoP: Robert Farley
Managing Director: Rupert Reynolds-Maclean
Executive Producer: Daisy Mellors
Head of Production: Emily Atterton
Producer: Tom Farley
Manager: Dalia Saeed
Media Buying Agency: PHD UK
Editing: Marshall Street Editors
Editor: Toby Conway-Hughes
Assistant Editor: Joshua Sampson
Edit Producer: Lola Cookman
Stills Retouching: The Laundry Room
Film Post Production: Time Based Arts
Lead Artist: Jamie Crofts
Colourist: Simone Grattarola
Colour Assists: Tom Matthews & Aiden Tobin
Producer: Lily Barron
Audio Post Production: Factory Studios
Sound Design & Mix: Dan Beckwith & Andy Isaias
Audio Producer: Emily Thomas
Social Films Audio Post Production: Blab
Sound Design & Mix: Beresford Cookman
Producer: Lola Cookman
