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Case Study: Action Cancer 'Get a Grip' Campaign
Background:
Action Cancer is one of Northern Ireland’s biggest and most well known charities. ASITIS Consulting was approached by Action Cancer to help to devise a PR campaign for their first ever Men’s Health awareness month due to run throughout June 2009. The aim of the campaign was to encourage men to be more proactive with their health.
Methodology:
We decided that the ‘Get a Grip’ campaign would focus on raising awareness of men’s cancers throughout the month of June. Through discussions with the client, we came up with several launch ideas. It was decided that the use of three high profile male sporting personalities would help provide support for the campaign if they were collectively involved in the launch. In addition, these known personalities could convey the message to men that one in three males will develop cancer at some point in their lives. We felt that the use of the household names would make men realise that cancer can affect anyone.
Asitis approached Irish rugby international Paddy Wallace, along with Captain of Glentoran Football Club, Paul Leeman and Tyrone GAA Captain Sean Cavannagh to see if they would be willing to add support for the campaign. The diversity of the sports the players were involved in ensured we would gain attention from a wider target audience. Engaging statistics accompanied the launch picture: ‘The odds of winning The All Ireland are 500/1; the odds of winning The Grand Slam are 3000/1; the odds of winning The Champions League are 3000/1. However, few men realise that the odds on a male getting cancer are 3/1’. (Paddy Power Bookmakers)
As Father’s Day fell during the month-long campaign we opted to reinforce the message by issuing a press release appealing to all dads to consider their health awareness if not for themselves for the sake of their children.
To get the subliminal message of male cancers across we used a picture of well known celebrity dads, Jason Shankey and U105 DJ Maurice Jay playing in a ball pit with their kids. The children used a megaphone to reinforce the message that they were calling on all dads to put their children first and be much more health aware.
Several sporting events including a soccer sixes and a ‘Get a Grip’ golf day added to the targeting of males through companies and organisations. The Asitis Public Affairs team worked to build a political profile of the work of Action Cancer and the key messages of ‘Get a Grip’ to the 90 plus male MLAs at Stormont.
Results:
During a busy news week which included the European Elections, we managed to secure coverage for the launch of ‘Get a Grip’ in the Belfast Telegraph and the News Letter as strong news stories at the start of the month long campaign. We also received radio coverage for the campaign launch on BBC Radio Ulster, City Beat and U105. During the course of the month we identified various strong human interests from male cancer survivors and these proved powerful opportunities to raise awareness of the illness and the importance of early detection through features. These stories appeared in the Belfast Telegraph and in the Irish News.
The Father’s Day picture with Jason Shankey and Maurice Jay landed on Father’s Day in Sunday Life reinforcing the need for men to get checked out by making the issue about the children wanting their fathers to be healthy.
Many MLAs issued statements in support of the campaign which inadvertently led to additional local coverage. It has also been noted around the halls of Stormont that the Minister for Health and many MLAs are now wearing their badges of support.
Action Cancer recorded a dramatic increase in the number of bookings for male MOT health checks.