St John Ambulance SA launches new AED campaign ‘The Hero in Your Building’ via Topbunk

St John Ambulance SA has launched a new campaign with Topbunk to drive awareness of South Australia’s recently introduced AED legislation.

 

From 1 January 2026, many non-Crown buildings, facilities, vehicles, and prescribed public transport must carry Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs). The new campaign, “The Hero in Your Building,” turns the spotlight on those responsible for buildings, asking them to step up and ensure compliance, while highlighting that an AED could be the difference between life and death.

Says Amy Reid, Marketing, Media & Fundraising Manager at St John Ambulance SA: “We’re really proud to have produced this work with Topbunk. New AED laws in South Australia will mean greater public access to defibrillators, ultimately leading to more lives saved from sudden cardiac arrest. There are around 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests each year in Australia, and only about 10% of people survive. We hope that with greater awareness of and access to AEDs, we will see those survival rates increase. We were thrilled with the creative developed by Topbunk, which has been really impactful and started lots of conversations about the importance of AEDs.”

Says Alex Theel, Co-Founder & Director at Topbunk: “We wanted to anchor the idea in the environments decision-makers are directly responsible for… their buildings. By framing each building as a place that needs its own hero, we made the legislation personal and actionable. It’s not abstract policy; it’s about ensuring the spaces people are responsible for are safe. That shift in perspective was key to connecting with the audience.”

The campaign is running across TV and social channels, using everyday settings such as offices, schools, and community facilities to highlight the presence (or absence) of an AED. Its impact has already extended beyond South Australia, with St John NSW adopting the creative to drive AED awareness in their state.

Client: St John Ambulance SA
Amy Reid – Marketing, Media & Fundraising Manager
Angela Habis – Marketing Coordinator

Agency: Topbunk
Marcus Butler – Account Director
Samuel Rosenzweig – Director / Editor
Ezra Radke – Assistant Director / Editor
Alex Theel – Producer / Agency Director
Reuben Gore – Agency Director
Angus Northeast – Photographer
Sonia Zanatta – Graphic Design
Riley Scott – DOP
Dan Ross – Gaffer
Tatiana Goode – Lighting Assistant
Scott Illingworth (Seeing Sounds) – Sound Design