The British Heart Foundation

Twelve people under the age of 35 are lost to sudden cardiac death in the UK every week. Yet research found that more than a quarter of Brits do not believe heart conditions can affect young people. Ahead of UEFA EURO 2024, the British Heart Foundation wanted to challenge this misconception, raise awareness of sudden cardiac death and encourage support for life-saving research.

With the nation preparing for UEFA EURO 2024, the campaign used football to shine a light on a largely overlooked issue. By sharing the stories of 12 young football fans who died too soon, the British Heart Foundation set out to create a campaign that would have maximum impact, spark conversation and help people understand that heart disease can affect anyone, at any age.

The British Heart Foundation murals campaign saw 12 large-scale football murals painted across 11 locations in Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Chesterfield, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, Newcastle, Nottingham and Southampton. Each mural honoured a young fan who had lost their life to sudden cardiac death, with locations carefully selected close to their hometowns and communities.

To extend the campaign’s impact, eight of the portraits were later projected onto buildings in Berlin during the EURO 2024 final, ensuring the message reached football fans on an international stage. The project was delivered in close partnership with families, artists and local communities, with every mural created with sensitivity and care.

The campaign generated widespread coverage across social media, news outlets and broadcast media, including a five-minute feature on BBC Breakfast. The British Heart Foundation murals achieved more than 300 pieces of coverage, 595 million earned reach, a tenfold increase in web visits and a 55% increase in donations. By connecting a powerful health message with one of the biggest sporting events of the year, the football murals campaign helped raise awareness of sudden cardiac death while driving support for vital research.