Heart & Stroke, in partnership with creative agency Sid Lee, is amplifying the emotional power of its Beats campaign through a moving new chapter. The latest campaign powerfully highlights the unsung heroes behind the lifesaving treatments for heart disease and stroke treatment: the researchers.
“It’s not easy to capture just how profoundly researchers and their discoveries change lives — not in abstract terms, but in ways that touch families and futures,” says Stephanie Cox, vice president, marketing strategy and creative services at Heart & Stroke. “This campaign brings that to life. It puts a human face on the breakthroughs — the people and stories behind them — and shows the true impact of the research we fund on the people and families touched by heart disease and stroke in Canada.”
To convey this impact, the team constructed a simple scene:
Dr. Lori West — the trailblazing pediatric cardiologist whose landmark discovery transformed infant heart transplants and changed how babies’ immune systems are understood — sat down in a Calgary café for what she believed was a routine interview. Unbeknownst to her, the café was filled with people whose lives had been saved by her groundbreaking work and who had come from across Canada to do one simple thing—say thank you.
Directed by Sam Cadman and produced by Sequoia Content, the scene unfolded with precision. “There wasn't a dry eye in the house. I’ve never experienced anything like it,” says Jake Hulsebosch, associate creative director at Sid Lee.
For the social activation, Heart & Stroke and Sid Lee leveraged user-generated content, featuring real moments from families whose lives were saved thanks to research breakthroughs. These authentic images showcase everything from dance recitals to golf games and special moments with loved ones, capturing the true impact of life after a second chance.
“At Sid Lee, the work that defines us is the work that creates culture; work our friends talk about and our families share with their networks. I’m honoured I had the chance to tell a once-in-a-lifetime story,” says Manali Kulkarni, associate creative director at Sid Lee.
The campaign exemplifies how purpose-driven creative and strategic collaboration can reshape public health communication. With bold, emotionally charged storytelling, it invites Canadians to take action by showing the human impact of research in ways that go far beyond charts and statistics. It connects past milestones to the promise of future discoveries, creating a powerful narrative that speaks directly to both people with lived experience, their families, caregivers and loved ones, and our research community.
About Heart & Stroke’s Beats campaign
Launched in 2020, Heart & Stroke’s Beats campaign shone a spotlight on people with lived experience, showcasing their resilience and fight to beat heart disease and stroke. Powerful visuals like their surgical scars demonstrated not only how hard they fought, but also their ongoing determination to keep fighting. Now, in the campaign’s next chapter, Heart & Stroke shifts the focus to the researchers behind lifesaving heart disease and stroke treatments, revealing the impact that Heart & Stroke-funded research has on the people and families affected by these conditions.
About Sid Lee
Sid Lee is a big-hearted, multidisciplinary creative community, celebrated for its bold ideas rooted in design and informed by culture. Its 700 professionals work collaboratively from offices in Montreal, Toronto, New York, London, Los Angeles, and Seattle. Driven by the power of community, Sid Lee helps organizations grow through the creation, expression, and experience of a brand. Partnering with forward-thinking clients, Sid Lee breaks away from the ordinary to deliver results across a wide range of disciplines—from design to interactive and experiential communications, as well as advertising and architecture. They enable their clients to outpace competitors, earn customer trust, and expand their cultural influence. Sid Lee’s creative community also includes Yard, Digital Kitchen, BIMM, and Haigo.
About Heart & Stroke
Life. We don’t want you to miss it. That’s why Heart & Stroke has been leading the fight to beat heart disease and stroke for more than 70 years. We must generate the next medical breakthroughs, so Canadians don’t miss out on precious moments. Together, with the generous support of our donors, partners and volunteers we are working to prevent disease, save lives and promote recovery through research, health promotion and public policy. Heartandstroke.ca @HeartandStroke #BeatHeartDisease #BeatStroke
Media Room (with campaign videos and visuals)
Media inquiries
Emilie Perreault
Account Executive, Sid Lee
438.828.2400
eperreault@sidlee.com
Jessica Weingarten
Director, Brand and Fundraising Communications, Heart & Stroke
647.426.8454
jessica.weingarten@heartandstroke.ca