NHS England and M&C Saatchi UK launch new stroke campaign following decade of success with Act F.A.S.T.
NHS England has unveiled a new multichannel campaign ‘Doesn’t seem like much’, to raise awareness of the individual signs of a stroke and get people to call 999 as soon as they suspect they may be experiencing any one symptom. The push, which is part of the ongoing ‘Help Us, Help You’ campaign, was developed in partnership with our team at M&C Saatchi UK.
The NHS’ previous F.A.S.T. campaign has been hugely successful in driving 999 calls for strokes. With the (Face, Arms, Speech, Time) acronym aiding symptom recall, many people report that they would call 999 if they experienced or witnessed a stroke. However, it has set an expectation that the symptoms are dramatic and obvious. The reality is that many strokes are nothing like as dramatic, clear cut or painful as people expect. They are often marked by just one fairly subtle symptom.
This new campaign aims to increase early presentation of strokes, leading to earlier treatment, and improved outcomes for patients, by encouraging people to act quickly on the first sign, whether that’s in their face, arm or speech, even when it is subtle (like not being able to smile).
‘Doesn’t seem like much’ depicts everyday situations, where everything might seem relatively normal, but where there’s the sign of someone experiencing a stroke.
A 30-second film, directed by Tom Tagholm at Various Films, sets up the idea that initially, a stroke might not seem like much, highlighting subtle symptoms: from struggling to use a paint roller, to not being able to smile when watching TV, to slurring your speech when reading a story to your grandchild. The spot emphasises that time is critical, ending with the line: “Face or arm or speech, at the first sign, it’s time to call 999.”
This message is continued across the 360 campaign, with 15- and 10-second cutdowns of the TV ad, a 30-second radio spot, social films, and print activity.
Media planning is by Wavemaker, and media buying is by MGOMD.
M&C Saatchi worked closely with NHS National Clinical Director for Stroke Medicine, David Hargroves, to ensure complete accuracy of the symptoms shown in the campaign. He was also present at the shoot to review all symptoms captured.
“‘Doesn’t seem like much’ aims to raise awareness of the often subtle signs of a stroke that may be overlooked. It’s crucial to recognise that strokes can present themselves quietly and often with only one small sign. Building on the success of our previous F.A.S.T. campaign, which significantly increased 999 calls for strokes, this new initiative encourages the public to trust their instincts and act without delay if they experience any one symptom. We hope to change the dialogue surrounding strokes and empower everyone to take decisive action when they notice something unusual.”
“This campaign is a great example of how M&C Saatchi are tackling some of the biggest societal challenges, showing how subtle, potentially overlooked stroke symptoms need to be acted upon quickly. We want to ensure people take action on the first symptom, rather than waiting for more conclusive signs. To help them understand that even when everything seems normal, something serious might be happening. We are incredibly proud to help build awareness of this important issue and encourage everyone to act quickly when it really counts.”
“This is important work. We wanted to explore that precise moment when your world shifts, quietly yet powerfully, off its axis during a stroke. We highlight how a tiny external moment can actually be seismic—an extraordinary gear change, framed in a really ordinary way.”
See more work by M&C Saatchi Group here.
