As excitement builds ahead of the kick-off of UEFA Euro 2024 this weekend, an eye-catching new advertising campaign titled “Til I Died” shines a dark light on the devastating impact of heart disease on young people in the UK.
This comes from the British Heart Foundation (BHF), the UK’s cardiovascular research charity which funds medical research into heart and circulatory disease and their risk factors, and influences work to shape public policy and raise awareness.
The BHF has teamed up with creative agency Saatchi & Saatchi to launch ‘Til I Died’, a national mural project memorialising the lives of 12 passionate young football fans whose dreams were tragically cut short by heart disease.
At the heart of it all are grim statistics: on average 12 young people in the UK tragically die from sudden cardiac death every week.
A vivid portrait
The campaign will see 12 life-sized, hand-painted murals appear in towns and cities across the UK, from Birmingham and Cardiff to Glasgow and London.
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The striking work paints vivid portraits of 12 young people lost far too soon, their smiling faces leaving an indelible mark on the community where they once lived, played and yearned.
“I can’t say enough good things about this production,” said Frankie Goodwin, chief creative officer at Saatchi & Saatchi. “It has been created with sensitivity and respect in collaboration with our incredible clients and the young people’s families – we’re incredibly grateful to them and we hope it raises lots of money to help fund life-saving research.”
The BHF’s wider mission is to change public perception, as many people are unaware that heart disease can affect anyone at any age.
Partnering with the Euro
The inspiring murals, now on display in prominent locations across nine cities, were created by renowned mural artists in collaboration with outdoor production company Grand Visual, and their prominent placement was strategically planned by media company PHD to maximise visibility in young fans’ hometowns in the run up to the Euros.
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The creative work, unveiled just days before the kick-off of UEFA Euro 2024, aims to highlight young people and their love of football at a time when the nation is excited to watch their country play.
In addition to the murals, the integrated “Til I Died” campaign will also span social media and radio, with bespoke creative execution further highlighting the urgent need for research funding to combat heart disease across all age groups.
Powerful Reminders
“Our new campaign is a powerful reminder of the impact of sudden cardiac death,” says Damion Mower, brand director at the British Heart Foundation. “Behind every mural is a family who has lost a loved one too soon, and our team has worked closely and sensitively with them to ensure they are remembered in a moving way.”
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“We’d like to thank our creative partners at Saatchi for the sensitivity and care with which they portrayed this story through the campaign’s creative,” he added. “We’re incredibly grateful to the family for helping to remember their loved one and urgently raise awareness and funds for research into heart and circulatory disease.”
“We hope that this solemn campaign will inspire support and donations for further research into preventative treatments and cures. Because while every premature death is a tragedy, the tragic loss of a young life with endless potential yet unrealized is a particularly cruel blow, and this campaign is determined to raise awareness of that through its powerful original concept and inspiring storytelling.”