The Heart and Stroke Foundation has kicked off February’s Heart Month with a new campaign around the tagline “Make Health Last” that builds off last year’s wake-up call of “Make Death Wait.”

With media from Mindshare and creative from Lowe Roche, the TV, print and digital campaign is built around the Statistics Canada number that shows a gap of about 10 years between the age Canadians are living to, and how long they are living in health. That gap is primarily due to heart disease, stroke and other chronic health conditions, Geoff Craig, VP marketing, communications and strategic alliances, the Heart and Stroke Foundation, tells MiC.

All pieces of the campaign, which primarily targets baby boomers over the age of 50, drive to the website Makehealthlast.ca, which offers motivation, tips and tools on how to make lifestyle changes to decrease that 10-year gap and build a longer, healthier life.

“We talked with boomers who believe that everything is going to be fantastic and delightful as they move into their retirement years, when the reality is the 10 years in sickness,” he says.

Baby boomers feel as though they have healthy habits, but a recent study from the Heart and Stroke Foundation shows otherwise, with stats like 85% of the age group not eating enough fruits and vegetables, more than 40% not getting enough physical activity and 21% smoking.

The TV spot in the campaign uses a split-screen to show the life people are dreaming of, and the less-healthy reality they will be living if they don’t make lifestyle changes now, says Monica Ruffo, CEO, Lowe Roche.

“Baby boomers have always been pioneers, and now as they are aging they are redefining what that means,” she says. “They want to do so many things, but the reality is that’s not going to happen for most people if they don’t make changes now. This campaign contrasts their desires with what is actually happening.”

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