Edwards Lifesciences is a leading manufacturer of transcatheter aortic replacement valves, an innovative technology for minimally invasive heart valve replacement.

Heart failure is widely known, but heart valve failure (HVF) far less so. Edwards came to us with one ask: “make HVF famous.” Easy peasy, right?

When we learned Edwards wanted to work with David Letterman, bringing in his INDYCAR team, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, was a no-brainer. The parallels wrote themselves: heart valves and car valves, pit stops and checkups, staying "in the race" on and off the track (the car puns never ended).

Digging deeper, we discovered that all three co-owners — Dave, Bobby Rahal, and Mike Lanigan — had undergone heart surgery, with Mike specifically undergoing surgery for heart valve failure. Their personal stories became the backbone of the campaign. Working with Oscar-winning director Cynthia Wade, we crafted a film weaving their experiences into a message about understanding HVF and taking a pit stop for your own health.

CD: Mike Young, Louisa Hager
ACD: Lindsay Miller
Senior Copywriter: Morgan Biles
Art Director: June Hernandez
Designer: John Luke Polson
Director: Cynthia Wade
Production House: Honor Society