Resuscitation Council UK and Bauer Media Group today announced a new partnership to help save lives by raising awareness of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), tackling inequalities in cardiac arrest survival, and expanding access to defibrillators nationwide.
Turning platforms into lifelines
Through its three UK businesses, Bauer Media Group is combining the strength of Outdoor, Publishing, and Audio to deliver life-saving impact at scale.
Bauer Media Outdoor is transforming everyday infrastructure into a lifesaving network of emergency access points. Defibrillators are being installed in select communication kiosks nationwide and in bus shelters in Portsmouth, each clearly marked and registered on The Circuit, the UK’s national defibrillator network. This means emergency services can instantly direct people to the nearest available unit. To support those moments, RCUK CPQR codes will be added to relevant communication kiosks and bus shelters, delivering guidance on the steps needed for CPR and using a defibrillator. Later this year, a nationwide Out of Home campaign will reinforce awareness on digital screens across the UK.
Bauer Media Publishing has already rolled out RCUK advertising across its portfolio of magazines and digital titles, spanning lifestyle, entertainment, automotive, and leisure brands. Titles include TV Choice, Take a Break, CAR and Today’s Golfer, while digital ads have appeared across brands such as Grazia, Closer, Mojo and Empire.
Bauer Media Audio will take the message onto the airwaves later this year with creative campaigns across some of the UK’s best-loved stations, including Greatest Hits Radio, Magic and Jazz FM.
The collaboration also includes a CPR awareness programme for Bauer Media Group staff across all three businesses, embedding lifesaving knowledge internally while driving impact externally. Together, these channels create a powerful, multi-platform effort to raise awareness, tackle inequalities, and expand access to life-saving knowledge and tools nationwide.
Tackling inequalities
Every year, more than 40,000 people suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the UK, yet less than 1 in 10 survive. Survival rates are lowest in deprived communities, where CPR is performed less often. Over a third (38%) of UK adults have never received CPR training, and only 22% of people from certain ethnic minority backgrounds have received training in the last decade, compared to 41% of the wider UK population.
This partnership aims to close that gap. Wherever possible, Bauer Media Outdoor will work with partners to place defibrillators in underserved communities, ensuring they are available where needed most. Alongside this, RCUK and Bauer Media Group will continue to highlight inequalities, providing people across the UK with the confidence, knowledge, and access they need to act.
James Cant, CEO of Resuscitation Council UK, said: “Survival from cardiac arrest shouldn't depend on your postcode or your background. This partnership with Bauer Media Group is a bold step towards changing that - putting defibrillators where they’re needed most and empowering more people with the knowledge and confidence to save a life when every second counts.”
Simon Kilby, Managing Director, Bauer Media Advertising, added: “Bauer Media Group’s reach spans millions of people every day in print, on air, and out on the streets. That gives us a unique opportunity, and a responsibility, to use our platforms for good. Through this partnership with RCUK, we’re not just sharing information, we’re embedding life-saving tools into the heart of our infrastructure and communities. From training our teams to fitting automated external defibrillators in everyday spaces, this is about giving people the confidence, knowledge, and access to act when every second matters.”