The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has launched the UK’s first ever DECHOX, a nationwide sponsored challenge calling on chocolate lovers to give up their favourite sweet treat for March, to help raise money for life-saving heart research.
Coronation Street actress, Kym Marsh, is supporting the campaign as both her father and son have suffered heart problems. She is Dechoxing herself and encouraging others to do so through TV and print media interviews, as well as on social media.
The campaign is primarily aimed at women 25-45, but anyone can take part by signing up for free at bhf.org.uk/dechox. Those who need moral support can ask friends or colleagues to take part too, so they can DECHOX as a group.
Brighton-based advertising, design and marketing agency, Killer Creative, came up with the name and concept, managed the media spend and designed the campaign microsite and marketing collateral. This includes print, online video (over 174k views and counting), EDMs, digital and radio advertising, plus posters in David Lloyd and Nuffield Health clubs across the South East, washroom posters at service stations and a billboard at London’s Old Street roundabout.
There is also a dedicated Facebook page for DECHOXTM offering motivational tips and ideas, and encouraging Dechoxers to fundraise throughout March. Supporters are invited to take part on social media by using #DECHOX and sharing their stories and tips for giving up chocolate.
Gary Milton, Creative Director at Killer Creative, says: ‘Chocolate is our nation’s go-to vice, so we wanted to bring this out in the creative. The campaign centres around the theme of secret or sneaky eating, injecting a little humour and inviting the audience to empathise with the people in the scenes. We’ve been working closely with the BHF’s fundraising team to devise and deliver this fully integrated campaign, so it’s great to see DECHOX getting lots of sign-ups.
‘We also developed a comprehensive microsite with a smooth sign-up process linked to the BHF database, using Just Giving API to quickly create participant fundraising pages. Other digital assets include a whole bunch of collateral for participants to use and share online – from social badges to posters, sponsorship forms, desk signs for the office and certificates’.
Leah Mates, Fundraising Projects Manager at the BHF, comments: “This is a really exciting project for us as it’s the first time we’ve asked supporters to raise money for the BHF by abstaining from something they love as part of a national campaign. We hope as many people as possible will get involved in the first year of DECHOX and encourage their friends and family to support and sponsor them.”
So far, over 16,000 Dechoxers have signed up for the campaign and the deadline has been extended for those last-minute participants – we’re looking forward to seeing the final results in April.
Find out more on our website or sign up for DECHOXTM at bhf.org.uk/dechox.
