Our Bronze winning Cannes Young PR Lions UK entry - Dying on Stage, by Tom Rouse and Imogen Nation

1. Hi
Here’s how we’ll help you make heart disease a national conversation
Friday, 03 February 2017

2. The challenge
94% of Brits know who you are, but just 27% consider donating. That has to change.
You’ve asked for a bold, brave and emotional campaign which makes people aware of
how suddenly heart disease can strike and positions BHF’s research as crucial in
preventing heartbreak. In the hugely competitive charity donation space, you need to
demand not just attention, but also capture a bigger share of people’s charity donations.
How do we do this?
Simple – build upon your when you least expect it campaign by engaging with the UK
public through a medium they are comfortable with and forms part of their everyday life.
This familiarity will reassure them, making the BHF message even more shocking.

3. How to reach your audience? Television
11m viewers
tuned into
Children in
Need in 2016
£46.6 million
was raised for
Children in
Need in 2016
Half of Brits
watch soaps
every week +
six million
watch British
Soap Awards

4. Our strategy
Maintain momentum with activity on and offline across the country in the
following week to showcase this could happen to anyone at anytime
Create a national conversation through a televised shock and awe stunt
which introduces the horror of heart disease in an arena no one is expecting it
Turn this moment into a fundraiser by immediately following it with clear
instructions on how to donate to BHF

5. Dying on stage
The big idea

6. The concept
Partner with the British Soap Awards to create the watercooler moment of 2017 – EastEnders’
actress Lacey Turner ‘dying’ on stage.
How it works
As she presents an award, Lacey will ‘drop dead’ to the floor with a team of actors dressed as
paramedics around her. Leaving enough time for viewers to be stunned and tweets to hit the roof,
Lucy will then stand back up to educate viewers on how heart disease can cause people to be
gone in a heartbeat and urge the public to make donations – as she speaks a side bar will appear
on screen explaining how to donate to the BHF by text or online.
Why it works
Because it creates a moment everyone will talk about – and Lacey’s message will drive donations
directly.
Dying on Stage at the British Soap Awards

7. The
morning
after
Work with local Am
Dram groups to stage
people collapsing at
train stations across
the UK. Performers
then distribute leaflets
explaining what
happened and how to
support the BHF

8. Amplification
Website
• BHF website takeover featuring case studies and an explanation of what Lacey just
went through – along with a strong donation call to action
PR
• Online media - seed clip of Lacey ‘collapsing on stage’ and support with BHF stats and
call to action.
• National media – offer interviews with Lacey Turner and BHF ambassador Kym
Marsh, explaining why they are supporting BHF and encouraging the audience to
donate
• Regional media – offer interviews with local case studies about their experience and
why the BHF’s work matters to everyone
Social
• Dying on social– at 12 the next day our celebrity ambassadors post an image of a flat
line on their social channels, along with a brief message and instructions on how to
donate to BHF – all linked by the hashtag #BHFOnStage
• Share video from the on station activity through social channels - how did
commuters react? Performers will give out flyers explaining what happened and film
audience reactions

9. KPIs
Consideration
We’d measure the success of this campaign both through donations raised during the
event and also through your next brand metrics – has there been a significant increase in
donation consideration?
Fundraising
The average charity ROI is £4.20 for every pound spent and we can see from Children In
Need’s annual figures that they raised roughly £4 for every viewer in 2016. Although we’d
have to factor in fees and campaign expenses, based on the CiN example we’d expect this
campaign to outperform the average.
Media + social discussion
As secondary KPIs we’d measure the media coverage of the campaign and the social
discussion generated by the stunt, with particular regard to how this drove eyeballs to the
BHF. Metrics to consider include: BHF website visits; messaging pull through; sentiment;
backlinks generated; new followers and increase in donations compared to a typical week.

10. Budget

11. Dying on Stage