This collaboration between the EFL, Sky Bet, and the British Heart Foundation is a WIN-WIN for all parties involved, and another great example of the power of partnerships.

The EFL and football are the vehicle for the campaign, which helps drive awareness with the massive audience of football fans in UK — and their families.

The British Heart Foundation, a well-known organization across the pond, cleverly asks for fans to give time instead of money, and brings their educational expertise around learning CPR as the payoff.

And, Sky Bet, as the brand partner, foots the bill for the campaign while getting some positive brand recognition in the process.

Beyond the relay, the campaign’s “heart stories,” featuring real-life accounts from football legends and fans, also creates a powerful and relatable narrative around the importance of learning CPR, which is especially needed when cardiac arrests are happening not just in everyday life, but also more and more on the pitch.

YOUR NEXT PLAY:

We particularly enjoy the creative construction of this initiative, with the foundational ask being for :15 minutes of someone’s time, rather than their money.

The slogan “Every minute matters” ties it all together perfectly, and speaks to the urgency of CPR as a life-saving practice, and the urgency of this issue to become top-of-mind.

With people being bombarded by donation requests from so many directions, their unique approach sets this campaign apart. We were definitely inspired by it, and hope it sparks new ideas for how you can get your audiences involved, too.