BBH Sheds Light on Youth Cardiac Risk in PSA for CRY

BBH London created a PSA campaign for Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY), a UK charity founded in 1995 which “raises awareness about sudden cardiac deaths in young people resulting from undiagnosed heart conditions.”

In a 60-second PSA video, a group of young men engage in a game of rugby. Throughout the spot we hear a heartbeat, adding an element of unease, until at one point the hearbeat speeds up and one of the boys falls to the ground. The message, “An undiagnosed heart condition can kill an apparently healthy young person instantly. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Get your heart tested.” It’s a harrowing message, bringing attention to an issue many don’t know about. Crafted to shock and startle viewers, it just may succeed in its goal of getting young people tested for heart conditions.

The spot was created by BBH London Assistant Producer David Lynch (not to be confused with that David Lynch), with help from Creative Directors Nick Kidney and Kevin Stark in adapting the original script. “I knew about CRY through a friend who was helped by them in the past,” Lynch said. “I wrote a script and showed it to my then producer, Ruben Mercadal. He said I should run with it. As I’m an Assistant TV Producer and not a Creative, I sought help from two of BBH’s best Creative Directors..To my surprise they were of the same opinion as Ruben and said if I ever get the chance to make it, they would love to mentor me through it.”

BBH then enlisted director AG Rojas and Park Pictures to bring the project, which Lynch called a “particularly emotive and rewarding campaign to work on,” to light. “Once we began production, it became clear that so many of the people who helped us had also been affected – or knew someone who had been affected – in some way,” he added.

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Lesson Never Learned: Jack Link’s Once Again Sullies Up to Sasquatch

It’s been almost a year since we last covered Jack Link’s and their Sasquatch antihero, but everyone’s favorite ugly creature is back to sell some beef jerky and beat up anyone who messes with him (it). Minneapolis-based agency Carmichael Lynch has produced three new spots for the campaign, all of which were once again directed by Rocky Morton.

In the above commercial – “All Dolled Up” – three fools try to get their kicks by putting makeup on Sasquatch. He responds by flipping their car and possibly killing them, because, well,  Sasquatch doesn’t wear lipstick. The ads tap into the creature’s vaguely redneck brand appeal with foggy rural settings and the fact that the product is beef jerky. If I learned anything here, it’s to avoid Jack Link’s beef jerky, because eating it will lead to serious personal injury and an upset Sasquatch. Two more clips and the credits after the jump.

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