Hands-only CPR: Vinnie Saves

Grey London has launched the next phase of its multi award-winning Hands-only CPR ‘Vinnie’ campaign for the British Heart Foundation. The original smashed all targets – having been watched more than 2.8m times on YouTube and saving 28 lives. However, with the UK still facing ‘dire’ cardiac arrest survival rates, where only one in five people survive, the BHF tasked Grey with bringing back the popular campaign, starring Hollywood hardman Vinnie Jones and the Bee Gees’ Stayin’ Alive, to further increase bystander intervention. The campaign comprises a new 40’ TVC – featuring ‘one Vinnie saved earlier’, survivor Alan ‘Lucky’ Linton; a new training film – Mini Vinnie – to promote Hands-only CPR among the next generation of lifesavers; and a series of online testimonials with some of the 28 people whose lives have already been saved by the campaign. In January, Grey’s original advert and training film told millions that have-a-go-heroes should give the kiss of life a miss in favour of hard and fast chest compressions to the beat of Stayin’ Alive by the Bee Gees. The charity has confirmed 28 people have contacted it to say Hands-only CPR has helped to save a life, including the life of 39-year-old Alan Linton who is set to star in the new advert.

Vicki Maguire, Creative Director, Grey London, said: “In an industry that measures success by units sold, margins gained or gongs won, it's gobsmacking to actually have this campaign’s successes walking up to you in the street and shaking you by the hand."

Vinnie Jones added: “Dozens of Brits are alive today because of Hands-only CPR – and that’s only the people we know about. But still not enough of us survive a cardiac arrest and it’s seriously important that everyone knows hard and fast chest compressions to the beat of the Stayin’ Alive by the Bee Gees can be the difference between life and death.

“Whatever you do, tell your family and mates about Hands-only CPR. It could turn out to be a life-saving decision.”

Alan Linton, a survivor from Ladybank, Scotland, said: “To put it simply, I’m here today because of Vinnie Jones, the Bee Gees and Hands-only CPR. It must have been a frightening moment for my golfing buddies to see me collapse and stop breathing but thankfully they remembered hard and fast chest compressions. I’m now one of the few people in the UK who has survived a cardiac arrest this year.

“Meeting Vinnie and fellow survivors during filming brought home the fact that I’ve had an incredible year. But this is just the start. More people need to help when someone collapses in cardiac arrest so even more lives can be saved.”

For more information about Hands-only CPR and to watch the training film and incredible stories of survival, visit bhf.org.uk/handsonlyCPR.