On December 5, 2023 the Dutch Heart Foundation received the Golden European Effie Award in Brussels for its 6-minute zone campaign in the category Best of Europe/Positive Change. The campaign was created through a collaboration between the Heart Foundation, sports marketing agency Triple Double, media agency Initiative and Bijl PR. Earlier, the campaign already won the Dutch Golden Effie. We are incredibly happy and proud of the campaign and cooperation! The jury explains why the campaign won: “Very clearly framed and relentlessly pursued across all communication channels. A fantastic balance between storytelling and structured details. Seamlessly executed with a long-term plan to back it up. A national pride in result and amazing results over time. A shift from 9% to 25% was achieved as survival rate.”Thank you to the Heart Foundation for the wonderful assignment and to Triple Double and Initiative for the fine collaboration over the years!

The campaign

The Netherlands has an average of 17,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests each year. The first six minutes after a cardiac arrest are crucial for a persons’ chance of survival. But what should you do in those first six minutes to help someone? Together with HartslagNu, the Dutch Heart Foundation has been working for years to establish the 6-minute zone. The campaign ranged from an increase in the spread of volunteers to linking the issue to sports- and health-related issues and a variety of resources: from press releases to events to online and social activation.

The Result

Thanks to campaigns with Triple Double, Initiative, BuurtAED, collaborations with Opel/Feyenoord Rotterdam N.V., Philips, Nederlandse Spoorwegen/ProRail, retailers and real estate companies, among others, a growth of 377% in the number of civilian rescuers and 306% in the number of AEDs has been realized in seven years. But the most important result of course is that throughout the Netherlands CPR can now be started within 6 minutes in case of a cardiac arrest. A huge milestone that saves thousands of lives every year.

Our role

Bijl PR contributed to creative concepts, was a brainstorm partner for the Dutch Heart Foundation and during the various campaigns over the years managed to make the importance of a 6-minute zone relevant and generate media attention. With constantly changing means, channels and media strategies.

Previously, the campaign won the Golden Effie Award, the Dutch PR Award 2017 and an international Sabre Award for a component of the campaign: Heartbeat of the Legion.