Though most people may think of heart disease as a man’s illness, it actually kills more women than men. Yet almost everything people have heard about heart attack symptoms—such as chest pain and arm tingling—are based on men’s experiences. The distinct symptoms of women’s heart attacks are largely unknown, which can be fatal.

To raise awareness about the differences between men’s and women’s heart attack symptoms, McCann Health, an IPG Health agency, launched a campaign to stop the “mansplaining” of heart attacks. The “Healthy Women” campaign earned the Print/Out-of-Home Campaign of the Year gold award among advocacy organizations in the Healthcare Marketing Impact Awards 2023.

The campaign included posters and digital advertising showing men trying to “mansplain” such symptoms as nausea and fatigue, which ended up being symptoms of heart attacks that killed their girlfriends or wives. The campaign expanded to live events and, according to McCann Health, ultimately reached an estimated 85% of its target audience. It resulted in live panel discussions and inspired plans for additional educational events in the future.