Saffola Gold from Marico Limited, in association with Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (Z), has launched ‘Dil Se Ladies First’ (#DilSeLadiesFirst), a nationwide multi-platform movement aimed at putting women’s heart health at the centre of the conversation this World Heart Day.

Launched in Mumbai on September 30, the initiative has been conceptualised and planned by Omnicom Media’s PHD India, Saffola’s media agency on record. According to a press release, the campaign brings together Zee’s television, digital and social ecosystem, including ZEE5, to challenge the perception that heart health is primarily a men’s concern and encourage women to take more proactive steps towards their own heart health.

The campaign comes against the backdrop of women often prioritising the health and wellbeing of their families over their own. Citing research published by Shannawaz M. et al. in the ‘International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health’ in 2025, the companies said that one in seven women in India faces heart-related issues. The initiative also highlights that symptoms of a heart attack can differ between women and men, making awareness and regular attention to cardiovascular health important.

Through ‘Dil Se Ladies First’, Saffola aims to build on its long-standing association with World Heart Day while encouraging women to place their own health higher on their priority list. The campaign centres on the message that women who consistently put everyone else first also need to put themselves first when it comes to their heart health.

As part of the initiative, PHD India and Zee have created a network-wide campaign spanning television, ZEE5 and social platforms. One of the key moments will be a first-of-its-kind television blackout across 17 Zee channels during peak prime time. Three prominent artists will address viewers through the third screen, using the moment to raise awareness around women’s heart health. The artists will also extend the conversation through individual social media content.

The campaign also introduces a specially curated experience on ZEE5, built around the idea of encouraging audiences to pause and reflect on their health. Through a platform takeover, Saffola Gold’s ‘Dil Se Ladies First’ message will be integrated across the ZEE5 viewing journey throughout the day.

High-impact integrations, a World Heart Day roadblock and Connected TV experiences will further extend the campaign, turning regular moments of content consumption into opportunities to draw attention to women’s heart health.

Zee’s wider digital ecosystem will also support the initiative through talent-led storytelling, creator collaborations and audience engagement activities. The campaign is designed to continue the conversation beyond television and streaming platforms and encourage audiences to bring the message into their everyday lives.

Moving beyond awareness, Saffola has also created a dedicated WhatsApp bot featuring information and resources around women’s heart health. The initiative encourages audiences to take a pause, learn more about heart health and support the women in their lives in taking proactive steps towards their wellbeing.

Commenting on the initiative, Vikram Karwal, Chief Marketing Officer, Marico Limited, said, “For years, Saffola has used World Heart Day to champion proactive heart care. This year, we wanted to address a clear blind spot: women’s heart health is still too often treated as secondary. With ‘Dil Se Ladies First’, we want to remind every woman that caring for her heart is a priority, not an afterthought. The women who look after everyone else deserve to put themselves first too.”

Monaz Todywalla, CEO, PHD India, said the campaign was built around creating a connected media experience rather than adapting the idea separately for individual formats. She added that the collaboration with Zee helped bring the approach to life at scale, with the network ecosystem becoming an extension of the campaign idea.

Prashant Shetty, Head – Advertisement Revenue, Broadcast and Digital, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd., said Zee aimed to create value for brand partners beyond conventional deliverables. He highlighted the 17-channel television roadblock and the ZEE5 takeover as key elements designed to bring the women’s heart health conversation to audiences across television, streaming, YouTube and social platforms.

The initiative brings together Saffola Gold’s focus on proactive heart care, PHD India’s media strategy and Zee’s television and digital reach to create a campaign around women’s heart health for World Heart Day.