Boehringer Ingelheim brings rhythm into the heart of Sofia to launch a new stroke awareness campaign

Action Bulgaria was tasked by Boehringer Ingelheim, one of the world’s top 20 pharmaceutical companies, with organising the “Live in rhythm – prevent the risk of stroke” campaign, as part of their continuing commitment to disease prevention and awareness. The goal of the campaign is to raise awareness and understanding about atrial fibrillation (the most common type of cardiac arrhythmia) and stroke prevention amongst the general public, patients, opinion leaders and healthcare professionals.

An outdoor event marked the official launch of the campaign with a flash mob taking place in central Sofia on the most crowded pedestrian street in the city. A beatbox artist and seventy hip-hop dancers formed a symbolic figure of a beating heart through music and dance, making for an amazing sight. One of the most recognised beatbox artists in the country added to the scene by creating a special rhythm for the dancers – the sound of a healthy heartbeat.

A crowd gathered around the flash mob clapping in rhythm, which created a warm atmosphere and a feeling of community. At the end of the performance the participants lifted boards in the air to form the slogan of the campaign, “Live in rhythm – prevent the risk of stroke”. The unique combination of modern dance and music in a live show incited a buzz with pedestrians, who stopped to watch the event, take photos, talk about it and ask questions.

The occasion generated significant coverage in specialised medical, general interest and social media, including user generated content from onlookers posting about the event. The Bulgarian National Television channel were also on hand to broadcast the flash mob live and aired a report on the event during their evening news programme.