Cardiovascular diseases are the most frequent cause of death in women. Yet they are not known and diagnosed enough and often treated too late. To raise public awareness, The Crew and the Belgian Cardiological League set up a campaign with a simple zipper as a symbol for the visible and invisible scars left by cardiovascular diseases.
When people think of cardiovascular diseases, they more often than not think that it is a male thing. Yet they are the leading cause of death among women. Their symptoms are sometimes less typical and often taken less seriously. To change people’s perception, we came up with a campaign that combines fashion, testimonials and awareness.
The heart of the concept is a sweater designed by Valentine Witmeur and Olivia Borlée of Ovale Creative. The central zipper evokes the visible and invisible scars that cardiovascular diseases leave behind. The secret pocket on the sweater is reminiscent of the two halves of the heart and at the same time symbolizes the personal stories of thousands of women. It is a garment with a profound meaning.
To draw attention to their reality, women with cardiovascular illnesses shared their stories in front of the camera. Their testimonies were disseminated by about sixty Belgian influencers and personalities. They were the beating heart of a multi-channel campaign on social media, YouTube, posters, hospital screens, landing pages and 30,000 educational brochures.
The result? An initial run of 200 sweaters was sold out within 24 hours, followed by 300 extra pieces, which also found eager owners within a week. The proceeds went to heart research, but the campaign mainly drew attention to an underexposed theme and highlighted the importance of prevention. Because it can happen to any of us.
