Making Schools Safer: Social Impact Campaign
01. Overview
In February 2025, for Heart Month, Iridia Medical partnered with Students for AEDs—a youth-led advocacy initiative campaigning to install life-saving automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in every school across the Vancouver School Board (VSB) district. At the time, the students had yet to secure funding—but their story was powerful. Recognising the alignment with Iridia’s own legacy in public safety and community health, we stepped in to amplify their message through a strategic, social-first campaign. This partnership helped bring national attention to their cause and ultimately contributed to the VSB approving $250,000 in funding—a direct outcome of sustained public visibility and pressure generated during the campaign.
02. My Role
As Marketing Manager at Iridia Medical, I led the concept, rollout, and cross-platform execution of the campaign—blending influencer engagement, fundraising, and brand storytelling into a cohesive initiative that aligned commercial goals with community impact. Key components included:
Influencer Collaboration: Partnered with global creator Aylex Thunder (4M+ followers), who co-produced a feature video on the Students for AEDs initiative. The campaign introduced the cause to a younger, broader audience and significantly expanded reach.
Sales-Driven Fundraising: Iridia pledged 10% of all AED sales during Heart Month to the student campaign—turning everyday purchases into purpose-driven support and reinforcing our brand mission to “enable peace of mind.”
Social Media Campaign: Rolled out across Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn, with targeted content including: behind-the-scenes footage from the influencer shoot, short-form videos with student advocates, donation-focused calls to action; and media mentions and testimonials for social proof.
Community & Media Engagement: Collaborated with local leaders and advocates to spotlight student voices. Our campaign helped secure national coverage (CTV, Global News, Vancouver Sun, CityNews) and engagement from Premier David Eby and Minister of Education Lisa Beare.
03. Results
The campaign achieved both brand and community outcomes:
✅ $250,000 in government funding to equip every Vancouver School Board facility with AEDs by Fall 2025
📈 1M+ views, 70K+ likes, and sustained engagement across platforms
❤️ Five AEDs donated directly by Iridia to support early momentum
💸 10% of AED sales committed to youth advocacy throughout Heart Month
🌍 National media coverage and strengthened positioning for Iridia as a purpose-driven health innovator
04. Takeaway
This campaign showed the power of combining authentic youth-led advocacy with strategic brand support. By aligning with a cause that matched our mission, engaging the right voices, and crafting a smart, social-first rollout, we helped spark a movement that will save lives - and positioned Iridia as a purpose-driven brand committed to real change.
