Becel Love Your Heart Benefit Concert

A healthy diet and lifestyle are both regarded as two of the best ways to lower the risk of heart disease and strokes. Becel, a low fat butter alternative known in some territories as Flora, has a long association in promoting a healthier diet, and in Canada in 2008 became official sponsor of The Heart and Stroke Foundation’s The Heart Truth Campaign.

Becel recognised that strokes and heart disease were particular health issues with Canadian women over 40, and that women in this demographic were influential voices in their social and family networks. After the success of The Heart Truth Campaign, Becel wanted to further spread the message of a healthy lifestyle specifically amongst Canadian women.

Where most similar brands choose to communicate the science behind a healthy message, Becel instead chose to personalise the risk of heart disease in such a way that would motivate women to discuss the issue freely with their friends. Using the knowledge that female celebrities are influential to other women, the “do one small thing to love your heart” message was created and brought to life with a nationally broadcast concert, featuring recording artists such as Diana Krall, Deborah Cox and Isabelle Boulay.

The concert took place in Toronto, with Becel making a donation for every ticket sold, and the event was broadcast simultaneously nationwide to 109 cinemas, allowing women across the country to watch. TV spots and other advertising promoted the event during February – dubbed “Heart Month”.

The campaign succeeded in raising awareness of heart disease risk, with 91% of consumers recognising the importance of the issue. Surveys also suggest that as a result of the campaign, 63% of women plan to make changes to their lifestyle. The concert was extremely popular, with 85,000 ticket registrations. Becel sales also experienced a 17% sales growth during “Heart Month”.