Bayer Aspirin Becomes Official Sponsor of Fans’ Hearts During Game Time

In recognition of American Heart Month, Bayer is continuing its ongoing commitment to elevating awareness and education about heart health and risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Heart disease is the no.1 cause of death in the US for men and women and continues to increase, due in part to the often-invisible risk factors - one in five heart attacks occur with no recognisable signs or warning. But stress, like the heart-pounding moments fans may experience while watching their favourite teams play, can play a role in their cardiovascular risk, especially when other pre-existing risk factors are present. In fact, heart attack risk can more than double when your home team plays. 

To reach people where they are, Bayer Aspirin is showing up for fans who put their whole hearts into their fandom as the official sponsor of Fans’ Hearts, encouraging fans, and non-fans alike, to prioritise their heart health by assessing their risk factors for cardiovascular disease at CheckYourHeartRisks.com. This quick assessment will give fans the opportunity to assess their potential risk factors of developing cardiovascular disease and understand actionable steps they can take to help keep their heart healthy, including discussing their heart health risk factors with a healthcare professional. 

“It doesn’t matter what sport, league, or team you cheer for every fan has experienced heart-pounding moments when watching their team play,” said Kelly Fanning, general manager and vice president of pain and cardio at Bayer Consumer Health US. “While that feeling may seem trivial, the stress that comes from those heart-pounding moments, along with other risk factors, may increase your cardiovascular risk. As a leader in heart health, we wanted to find an impactful new way to reach and educate people who may be at increased cardiovascular risk without even realising it. By kicking off American Heart Month with our new role as official sponsor of Fans’ Hearts, we’re tapping into a relatable moment and encouraging fans to assess their cardiovascular risk factors and take action so they can Keep Their Hearts in the Game.” 

Through ongoing multimedia content and regional media integrations with NBC Sports and Bally Sports, Bayer Aspirin will celebrate fans and encourage them to prioritise their heart health by taking the first step of assessing their cardiovascular risk. The launch includes a film that brings fans back to the most iconic and heart-pounding moments in sports history and tells the story of what fans, and their hearts, have experienced while watching.  

Bayer Aspirin partnered with well-known play-by-play sports commentators, including NHL Hall of Famer and Emmy-Award winner Michael 'Doc' Emrick; NBA, NFL and college football announcer Kevin Harlan; and former ESPN commentator and LA Dodgers play-by-play caller, Charley Steiner, to reimagine the most nail biting and intense sports calls. To further drive relevance and shed light on the impact fandom can have on heart health, the brand also enlisted the insight of industry experts and relevant voices to share their expertise and personal stories through digital efforts. The inspiring series includes real-world storytelling, educational content from special guests including cardiovascular experts, and fan engagement, with the continued goal to motivate audiences to examine their own risk factors for cardiovascular disease. 

“Many people don’t realise that cardiovascular disease is on the rise, and there are several factors that can increase your risk, including your health condition, lifestyle, and family history,” said Jeff Jarrett, NA chief marketing officer, Bayer Consumer Health. “The challenge is that some of these risk signs are not visible and therefore not always easily recognized. Through Bayer Aspirin’s 360° campaign approach, we’re looking to reach people where they are – which, as we discovered, is often in sports stadiums or behind their televisions. In fact, in 2021, approximately 57.5 million viewers in the United States watched digital live sports content at least once per month. As part of Bayer Aspirin’s ongoing commitment to heart health, we’re excited and honoured to bring this breakthrough education and technology to sports fans across the world.”